No one's going to love you the way I loved you
by macrollins
Summary: Will Steve realize that he's already found true love in his life?
1. Chapter 1

Hello friends. This is yet another Mcroll story. Remembering that I don't own the characters, it's just a story from fan to fan.

Catherine arrived at the hotel, took the room keys from reception, and crossed the lobby to the elevator.

"Eighth floor," she thought as she hit the elevator button.

She got out of the elevator and walked towards her room. It was the same hotel and the same room where she stayed when she was still in the Navy and came to Hawaii to visit Steve, the same room where he gave her chocolates on Valentine's Day.

"But everything is different now. Steve has a girlfriend," Catherine thought as she opened the door.

She put the suitcases by the bed, pinned up her hair and put her hands on her hips. "What am I doing here?"

Catherine took off her blazer, opened the fridge, and grabbed a beer. She looked out the window while drinking her beer very slowly. "I need to start over. But how do I start over with this feeling of something unfinished?"

Leaving the agency was a decision she made after learning of Doris' death. She did not want to have the same end as her almost ex-mother-in-law. And thinking about Doris, her mind traveled to the time that her parents were alive, there was the Navy, there was Steve ... "I did crazy things for him. And now I have nothing, I have nobody. It seems that all my happiness was left in the past."

Catherine opened the suitcase and looked for comfortable clothing. "I urgently need a hot shower," she thought.

After the shower, Catherine got ready and went for a walk on the beach, thinking about the future, thinking about what to do.

"Hmm, I suddenly felt like eating ice cream."

Catherine entered the ice cream parlor.

Some time later, Junior arrived at the headquarters and called Danny in a corner.

Steve saw it and found it strange. He approached slowly to hear what was going on.

"What is it, Junior?" Danny asked.

"I saw Catherine on the beach today. Do you think I should tell Steve?" Junior asked.

"Is Catherine on the island?" Steve asked.

"Do you usually hear now behind the doors, Steve?" Danny asked.

Steve ignored Danny and focused on Junior. "Did you talk to her, Junior?"

"No, Steve. She left the beach, crossed the street and entered an ice cream parlor," Junior said.

"Did you follow all her steps and didn't speak to her? Is that it?" Steve asked.

"Yes, that's it. I'm sorry," Junior replied.

"And was she alone?" Steve asked.

"Yes, she was alone," Junior replied.

"Okay," Steve replied and went to his office.

"What did you come here to do, Catherine? I waited for you for so long and you're coming back just now?" Steve thought.

At the end of the day, Steve got in his car and drove home. He stopped at the street and thought for a few seconds. He picked up his phone and called her.

Catherine was lying on the bed, resting, and she saw Steve's face on the screen of her phone.

"It is not possible for him to know that I am here."

She ignored his calls, but he insisted.

"Did he see me on the street?" she thought.

Catherine resisted and did not answer his calls.

"Sorry, sailor. But I don't get involved with committed men." She turned to the other side of the bed and slept.

"Why do not you answer?" Steve thought. He continued on his way home when his phone rang, and it was his girlfriend.

"I'm sorry for not calling, I had a really busy day at work and I'm going home now," Steve told Susan.

"When are we going to see each other, Steve?" Susan asked.

"I don't know, maybe tomorrow or the day after," Steve replied.

Meanwhile, Catherine was sleeping soundly.


	2. Chapter 2

Catherine woke up the next morning with a few knock on the door. "Steve?" She wondered.

Catherine hesitated. She didn't know whether to open the door for him or not, but she didn't have the heart to ignore him.

Catherine got up, put on a dressing gown over her nightgown, and opened the door.

"Max?"

"Hey, Catherine!" Max said. He was smiling.

Catherine was surprised. "What are you doing here, Max? How did you find me?" Catherine asked.

Catherine and Max dated for a while. Catherine was feeling very lonely, Steve hadn't asked her to come back, so she decided to give Max a chance, but it was nothing serious. Well, at least that's what she thought.

"I'm one of the best at the agency, did you think I wouldn't find you?" Max told her.

"You're right, it was very naive of me to think that you wouldn't track me," Catherine replied.

"Can I have a hug?" He asked.

"Sure," Catherine replied. She hugged him for a few seconds.

"I don't want to be fighting with you. Our last date was months ago and it didn't end very well," Max told her.

"I know, Max. We actually ended it all on that last date, do you remember?"

"I remember, Catherine. You made me suffer like an ownerless dog for months."

Catherine smiled. "We have no future, Max. I'm thirteen years older than you and you know I love someone else," Catherine told him.

"I don't care about the age difference, Catherine. Did you get back together with him? Is that why you came here?" Max asked.

"No, Max. I didn't go back to him. He will never truly forgive me."

"Then give me another chance, Catherine," Max asked.

"Max, no. You came back from a mission of almost a year, shouldn't you have gone to see your mother?" Catherine asked him.

"I will see her soon, but first I want to spend a few days with you," Max replied.

Catherine sighed. "You can't stay here, Max."

"Okay. I already rented a room downstairs."

"Max, please understand once and for all, nothing will happen between us," Catherine said calmly.

Max sighed. "I love you, Catherine.I ignored so many things to be with you, I ignored people's mean comments, I ignored when you called me Steve when we were in bed. Do you know how humiliating this is for a man?" Max told her.

Catherine felt sorry for him. His affection helped her a lot when she felt like the loneliest women in the world. "I already apologized for that, Max."

"And I forgive you. Let me spend a few days with you before going on my next assignment, please," he asked.

Catherine thought for a few seconds. "Okay, but only as friends."

"Friends," he replied.

"Now go to your room," Catherine told him.

"Okay. I'm going to take a shower, put on fresh clothes and come back to take you out for breakfast," Max said. He was excited.

Max left and Catherine leaned against the bedroom door and closed her eyes. "What to do now? I can't mistreat Max, he doesn't deserve it, but I also can't give him hope."

A few minutes later, Max was back. "But already, Max? I haven't even changed clothes yet!" Catherine told him.

Max was smiling. "So go get dressed to go out, Catherine! What are you waiting for?" He said.

Steve was the first to arrive at headquarters that day. He had been unable to sleep almost anything that night. He took his phone out of his pocket, placed it on the desk in the office and walked to one side of the room, and then to the other side of the room, and did it several times always looking at the phone.

Catherine picked up her bag to go out to breakfast with Max when her phone rang. She took the phone out of her purse and saw that it was Steve.

"Wait for me in the hotel lobby, please," Catherine told Max. She didn't want him to overhear her talking to Steve on the phone.

"Okay," Max replied without questioning her, but he wondered who she would be talking to on the phone.

"Hello," Catherine spoke to Steve after Max left.

"Catherine?" Steve asked.

"Yes," she answered.

"Junior told me he saw you here on the island yesterday. Is that true?" Steve asked.

"Don't you trust your employees, Steve?" She asked.

"Of course I do. I just thought that maybe he was wrong."

"No, he wasn't mistaken. I'm on the island," Catherine replied.

"Are you in trouble? Need help?" Steve asked.

"No, thank you. I didn't bring any problems for you this time," she replied.

"Okay," he replied.

"Bye, Steve."

"Catherine, wait!" he asked.

"What?" She asked. She didn't want to prolong the conversation even though it was so nice to hear his voice.

"Are we going out for lunch, or dinner, or for breakfast, sometime?" He asked.

"Sure, if your girlfriend doesn't mind you going out to dinner with me," Catherine replied and left him speechless. He didn't know that she knew he was dating.

"Bye, Steve. I'm going to hang up, have a great day."

"Bye, Catherine. Have a great day, too," Steve replied before she ended the call.

Catherine's eyes went moist. She dried her tears, put on her sunglasses and left.

Danny arrived at the office and thought Steve had a strange expression on his face. "Good morning, Steve. Is there a problem?"

"Yes, Danny. I have a heart problem."


	3. Chapter 3

"What? But is it serious, Steve? Is it surgical?" Danny asked.

"I meant it to be a sentimental problem, Danny." Steve sat in his chair and sighed.

"Ah! I get it. Your heart problem is called Catherine," Danny said.

"Yes, it's Catherine. Did she have to come right here? I mean, she's free to go anywhere, but the closer she is, the more she messes with my feelings."

"Well, as you said yourself, she is free to come and go around the country," Danny replied.

"Where are we going?" Max asked Catherine. He was excited.

We will have breakfast in the Rainbow, and then I will show you some sights of the island. You'll like it," Catherine answered.

"If I'm with you, I'll love it wherever you take me," Max said.

"Max ... don't start. Just friends, remember?" Catherine told him as she drove.

"Sorry," Max replied.

Catherine and Max visited various places on the island throughout the day and then returned to the hotel. Max accompanied her to her bedroom door in the hope that she would let him in.

"We say goodbye here, Max," Catherine said, and left him frustrated.

Max took her hand and brought it to his lips. "Thank you for the wonderful day at your side."

"You're welcome, Max. Now go to your room, I need to rest," Catherine replied.

"Okay. See you later," he said and walked towards the elevator.

After Max went to his room, Catherine relaxed in the bathtub while sipping a glass of wine. Her finger ran over the rim of the cup while her thoughts were on Steve. "I miss what I never really had," she thought.

Steve was returning home when he got the call from Susan.

"Hey, honey! I'm ready," she said.

"Damn it! I forgot I had a date with her today," Steve thought.

"You forgot, didn't you?" Susan asked him a little disappointed.

"Yes, Susan. I'm not going to lie, I forgot. I'm going home and I'm going to pick you up in an hour."

"Great, my love," she replied.

Steve ended the call and sighed.

Catherine got out of the bathtub after a long, relaxing bath, opened the wardrobe and chose a dress. She decided to go out to eat something and be distracted. She didn't want to think about anything, just relax.

Steve came home, showered, dressed and went to Susan's house to pick her up for dinner.

Catherine chose a bar near the hotel with live music. She chose a table in the corner, away from the stage, she wanted to stay there discreetly, just enjoying the music.

Some time later, Steve and Susan arrived at the same bar. The man who was singing was Susan's brother.

Catherine was looking at the menu, but she looked up just as Steve arrived with Susan, it was as if her heart warned her that he was there.

"Oh, no!" She thought.

Steve didn't see her, but Susan noticed the way Catherine looked at Steve.

"But one of those crazy people who keep looking at him," Susan thought. She already knew that wherever she went with Steve there would be women looking at him, but Susan didn't know that Catherine was special for him.

Susan then started to hug and kiss Steve every five minutes to tease Catherine.

"Susan, please behave yourself," Steve asked.

"Why? Can't I hug and kiss my boyfriend? Maybe that way people will stop looking at us."

"What people, Susan? No one is looking at us," Steve replied.

"That woman over there," Susan pointed at Catherine and Steve then saw her.

Catherine looked away so that Steve wouldn't see the sadness in her eyes.

Susan tried to kiss Steve again, but he stopped her.

Stop it, Susan, or else we're leaving now. Didn't you want to watch your brother's show? So pay attention!" Steve told her.

Catherine thought about leaving the bar, but then decided to stay. "If I want to live on the same island as him, I have to get used to it," she thought.

Steve was also uncomfortable with the situation, but he did not imagine that his discomfort would be even greater.

Catherine's phone was ringing in her purse. "I bet it's Max," she thought.

"Hi, Max," she said as she answered the call.

"Hi, Catherine. I'm here at your bedroom door. I was wondering if you wanted to eat something, but I can hear the music, so I already know you're somewhere else," he said.

Catherine felt that he was upset. "I'm at a bar here right next to the hotel. Follow the music and you will find me."

"You are with someone?" he asked.

"No, Max, I'm alone. I'm always alone," she replied and ended the call.

Max arrived at the bar in a few minutes and smiled when he saw her. He went over to her and sat down next to Catherine.

"You look beautiful in that dress," Max told her.

"Thank you, Max."

But he realized that she was sad, seemed upset about something. "Why are you sad?" Max asked her.

"It's nothing, Max," she replied and unconsciously looked at Steve and Susan.

Max also looked and immediately understood everything. "It's your ex, over there with another woman, isn't it? That's why you're sad."

Steve also looked at Catherine and saw her with Max and jealousy exploded inside him. "What did Catherine see in that kid?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Would anyone here like to sing a song?"

"I!" Max raised his hand quickly.

"Are you going to sing, Max?" Catherine was surprised.

Max got up from the chair. "Yes, I'll be right back."

Max went up on the small stage and Steve looked at him angrily.

"Good night everyone, my name is Max, I'm not from here, I'm from a city that borders Canada and what brought me to Hawaii was love."

"Oh no, Max!" Catherine said in a low voice.

Max pointed to Catherine. "Do you see that beautiful woman sitting there? We fought and ended our relationship some time ago. She is an amazing woman and she helped me, she held out her hand to me whenever I needed her."

"Max, please, stop," Catherine asked in a low voice when he looked at her.

"And I am here today because I would be an idiot, an imbecile, and a weak, if I let the woman of my life go away without fighting for her. "

Max's words hit Steve directly.

Max started singing a romantic song and Steve got up and went to the bathroom. He called Danny and was nervous.

"Why are you calling me, Steve? Aren't you on a date with Susan?" Danny asked.

"Danny, I called you because I was about to want to kill someone, I needed to speak to you," Steve said.

"What is happening?" Danny asked.

"Catherine has a boyfriend and they are in the same restaurant as me and Susan," Steve replied.

"And?" Danny said.

"He's teasing me, Danny!"

"Stop it, Steve! You are no longer a boy, you are a mature man."

"Are you calling me old, Danny?" Steve asked. "Isn't it enough for Catherine to be here with a boy and you still call me old?"

"Steve, are you listening to yourself? Are you jealous because Catherine has a younger boyfriend than her? That's prejudice," Danny told him.

"It's not prejudice, Danny. It's jealousy, just jealousy, and it's driving me crazy," Steve acknowledged.

"Well, you're going to go back to your girlfriend and be quiet. Don't go doing any nonsense! Catherine has the right to date whoever she wants, since you didn't want her anymore, remember?"

Steve sighed. "Bye, Danny. I don't expect you to understand me."

Steve went back to the table and sat next to Susan. Max was still singing and Steve was controlling himself to avoid confusion.

"I love you, Catherine!" Max said when he finished singing.

"Wasn't it cute, Steve? You could sing for me too," Susan told him.

"That was an outrage!" Steve replied.

Susan didn't understand. "Why?"

"No one is forced to hear this guy sing badly," Steve told her.

"Sing badly? He sang wonderfully, Steve."

Max was applauded and then went back to the table and sat down next to Catherine.

"Did you like it?" he asked Catherine.

"I know what you did, Max," Catherine replied.

"Someone had to tell this guy some truths, Catherine. And besides, nothing I said is a lie and it applies to me too. I won't give up on you so easily," Max said and kissed her.

"See, he got a super kiss as a thank you," Susan told Steve irritating him even more.

"Let's go, Susan."

"No, Steve. Our night hasn't even started yet. What's bothering you? My brother is going to sing a lot of songs. We're together, let's enjoy the moment," Susan told him.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Steve told her.

"Kiss Me?" Susan asked him.

Steve kissed her mechanically still thinking about Catherine and Max at the other table.


	5. Chapter 5

"Shall we go, Max?" Catherine wanted to leave after seeing Steve kissing Susan.

"I know I have no right to feel that way, but I can't help it," she thought.

"I haven't even eaten what I ordered, Catherine."

"Then eat and let's go or I'll leave you here alone," Catherine replied.

"Wow, I make a declaration of love for you and you are harsh with me. Why?" Max asked. He was really upset.

Catherine looked at him and saw that he was being sincere. "Okay, Max, I apologize. Let's stay and eat."

"Can we ask for a drink too?" Max asked her.

Catherine thought Max, at times, behaved like a child asking her permission to do some things. "Sure, Max."

Some time later, Catherine got up and told Max that she was going to the Toilette.

Steve saw her get up and went after her, after telling Susan that he needed to go to the bathroom.

Catherine entered the Toilette and looked at herself in the mirror. "How am I supposed to get this love that suffocates me out of my chest?" Catherine thought.

When Catherine came out of the bathroom, Steve was waiting for her outside.

"Hi, Steve."

"Hi, Catherine. I have just one question to ask you: Since when do you date men who are old enough to be your son?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Steve. He's not old enough to be my son. What about you? I didn't know you dated vulgar women," Catherine told him.

"Susan isn't vulgar!" Steve replied.

"So stay with her and leave me alone," Catherine told him and walked away.

"Catherine! Get back here!" Steve told her and she pretended not to hear.

Catherine came back and sat down next to Max again.

"I'm glad you came back. I missed you."

"Really? How nice," Catherine replied.

Max didn't understand her answer but ignored it. "I'm done eating. We can go whenever you want," Max told her.

"Now I'm the one who doesn't want to leave," Catherine replied.

"Ok," Max said.

"Order a bottle of wine, Max," Catherine told him.

"Your wish is an order, dear."

The hours passed and the people left, leaving only the two couples in the restaurant.

"Catherine, let's go," Max said.

Catherine was very "cheerful", influenced by wine. She got up from the chair and hugged and kissed Max.

Steve was annoyed when he saw her kissing Max.

"What are you looking at?" Catherine asked when she saw that Steve was looking at her disapprovingly.

"How dare you judge me?" She told Steve, and then looked at Susan and then looked at Steve again. "Nobody is going to love you the way I loved you. I loved you! And what did I get in return? Nothing!" Catherine cried and Max intervened.

"Come on, Catherine, let's go back to the hotel," Max tugged on her arm gently.

"What's all this about, Steve? Where do you know her from?" Susan asked.

"Do you see that? This is Max. No one has ever loved me the way Max loves me!" Catherine told Steve.

"Enough, Catherine." Max picked her up and led her out of the restaurant.

"I still have a few things to say to him, Max."

"You are drunk, Catherine. No more humiliating yourself. I know you well enough to know that you will be ashamed of it tomorrow," Max said and took her to the hotel.

"I'm waiting for an explanation, Steve!" Susan told him. She was irritated by his silence.

"Let's go, Susan. I'm going to drop you off at your place," Steve replied.

"So this is it? Do you think I don't deserve an explanation?"

"We will talk, but not here," he replied when he saw that the restaurant staff and her brother were looking at them.

Steve drove in silence, and when he got in front of Susan's house he took a deep breath.

"She and I had a very long relationship, but it's over," Steve said without looking at Susan.

"It doesn't look like it's over," Susan said and abruptly got out of the car and slammed the car door shut.

"Susan! Wait!" Steve shouted, but she ignored him.

Steve was going home, but gave up and decided to go to another bar.

Max took Catherine to her room and laid her on the bed. He took off her shoes and then sat on the bed and waited for her to sleep.

Some time later, Steve was at the bar, sitting by the counter when someone sat next to him.

Max ordered a drink and Steve immediately recognized his voice.

They both looked at each other and then looked away.

"Damn! What an awkward situation," Max thought.

"It looks like your night didn't end well either," Steve told him calmly.

"Yeah. Unfortunately not. She's completely drunk," Max replied.

"Well, she managed to end my night too," Steve replied.

Max took a sip of his drink. "Well, I'm sorry for both of us."

"Me too," Steve replied.

Max and Steve started talking while drinking and ended the night laughing.

"You are very funny, man," Steve said to Max.

"Thanks, but now just tell me one thing: how am I going to get back to the hotel and how are you going home? I think I'm seeing everything double," Max said and laughed.

"I think I have a solution," Steve said and picked up the phone.

"Danny, I need your help," Steve said.

Danny was surprised. "What is that voice, Steve? You are tremendously drunk!"


	6. Chapter 6

Danny arrived at the bar to pick up Steve and found him in a very bad shape next to Max.

"Danny! I'm glad you came. I need you to take my friend Max to the hotel too."

"What hotel?" Danny asked.

"A hotel three blocks from here," Max replied.

"Max and I have a lot in common, Danny. We work for our country and even love the same woman," Steve said and Max agreed.

"What are you talking about, Steve?" Danny asked.

"Catherine," Steve replied.

Danny looked at them both with disbelief. "You two are really really drunk! Get in that car and let's go."

Max sat in the back seat and Steve sat next to Danny.

"If either of you throw up in my car, I swear I'll throw you guys on the road," Danny complained.

Danny stopped in front of the hotel and Max got out of the car, staggering. "Goodbye, buddy. See you around," he told Steve.

"Aloha!" Steve replied.

"This is extremely ridiculous!" Danny told Steve.

"What's ridiculous, Danny?" Steven asked.

"You and this guy drinking together. What is he? Catherine's boyfriend?" Danny asked.

"Yes," Steve replied.

"And is he your friend now?" Danny asked.

"Yes," Steve replied.

"This is beyond my understanding. You like to suffer," Danny murmured and took Steve home.

Danny opened the door to Steve's house, they entered and Steve lay on the couch.

"Max is a nice guy, Danny. His only flaw is wanting my Catherine," Steve murmured, turned his face to the couch and slept.

The next day, Catherine woke up with a headache and saw that she was still dressed in the clothes that she had come out the night before. She looked around for Max, but he wasn't there. "Thank God," she thought.

Catherine sat on the bed and started thinking about the night before. "Oh, my God," she exclaimed as she remembered the embarrassment she gave because of Steve. "I'm dying of embarrassment!" she said and put her hands on her face as if someone could see her.

Steve woke up when someone threw a glass of water at his face. "What is it?"

"I've been calling you for over 10 minutes. You have an accountability meeting in two hours. Go take a shower and drink some really strong coffee to get over this hangover," Danny told him.

"You look very modern, don't you? Friend of your ex girlfriend's boyfriend who you say you still love," Danny told Steve when they were in the car on their way to the meeting.

"Are you crazy, Danny? I'll never be friends with that guy!"

"What? That wasn't last night's speech," Danny replied.

"I was drunk, Danny. Catherine is not going to destabilize me, I'm with Susan, and that's it," Steve replied.

"I think I'm going to have you interned in a strait-jacket," Danny replied.

Catherine found it strange that Max had not shown up all day. She went out to look at some houses because she didn't want to live in a hotel, and when she came back, he was waiting for her at the door of her room.

"Hi, Max." Catherine looked at the suitcase and felt sad. He was leaving.

"Hi, Cath. I came to say goodbye," he told her.

"Come in, let's not talk in the hall," Catherine replied and opened the bedroom door.

Max came in and Catherine started to speak. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Max. Forgive me."

"I'm not leaving because of this, Cath. My dad had an accident and my mom needs me around."

Catherine hugged him. "Oh, Max! I'm sorry. How is he?"

"He's in the hospital and I still don't know any more details. My flight leaves in an hour and a half," Max replied and touched her face with his hand.

"I'm going to miss you," she said.

"Me too. I love you, Catherine, but I know that we have no future. I tried to deceive myself, I told myself that you might love me, but I know it's not like that."

"There are different types of love, Max, and I love you."

"It's good to hear that," he replied and hugged her tightly.

"Can I have a kiss goodbye?" he asked.

Catherine kissed him and some tears rolled down her face.

"Steve looks like a nice guy," Max told her.

"He has someone else, Max."

Max took a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. "His girlfriend is not faithful."

Catherine opened the paper and saw Susan's name with her phone number. "How did you get this?"

"She gave it to me when you went to the bathroom and Steve was also absent from his table," Max replied and hugged her again.

"Promise me you will be okay."

"I'll be fine. Call me to tell me about your father."

"I'll call you." Max grabbed his suitcase and left.

Catherine went to the bedroom door and watched him walk down the hall until he reached the elevator. She waved at him and smiled. "I'm really going to miss you," Catherine said in a low voice.


	7. Chapter 7

Catherine looked at the piece of paper that Max had given her. "Cheating Steve shamelessly!" Catherine thought about Susan. "But I'm not going to tell him about it because he will not believe me, he will think that I am jealous and that I want to destroy his relationship."

Some time later she left and, after searching a lot, managed to rent a house that she liked.

Two months passed and Steve was at home thinking about what could have happened to Catherine. He discovered that Max had left the island the day after they drank together, but there was no record of Catherine's departure. She was no longer staying at the hotel, and Steve didn't see her anymore. His gaze always looked for her when he was driving through the streets.

"What are you looking for, Steve?" Danny had asked him once when he noticed that his eyes were moving frantically as if searching for something in the crowd.

Steve had called her a few times, but she didn't answer. "Let him go, Catherine," she said to herself as the tears fell.

Catherine easily got a job at a security company. Her job was internal, always monitoring security cameras. She knew it was a job well below her capacity, but it was a job that would allow her a more peaceful life.

Eight months later ...

Susan got frustrated after another negative pregnancy test. "Damn it!" she said in a low voice.

Steve was sitting in the living room watching TV when she came down the stairs.

"What was the result?" he asked her.

"Negative," she replied, and he said nothing.

"You know, Steve, sometimes I get the impression that you don't want to have a child with me."

"Why are you saying that, Susan? It was negative, what do you want me to say? I've been doing my part."

"I want to do artificial insemination," she replied.

"What? But why is that? We can try naturally for a little while longer," Steve said.

"All you have to do is go to the clinic and collect the genetic material, Steve. And if you don't, I'll know that you don't care about me." Susan grabbed her purse and slammed the door.

Steve sighed and thought about what to do. These weren't the plans he had in mind for his life.

Catherine was watching the cameras when Sandy came into the room. Sandy became Catherine's best friend after she started working for the security company.

"Hi, my dear friend!" Sandy said to Catherine.

Catherine smiled. "Hi!"

"You look very happy today," Sandy told her.

"Max called me and updated me about him. He's dating someone his age and it made me very happy. I really like Max and I want him to be happy," Catherine replied.

"You are very selfless, my friend. I wouldn't have that same attitude," Sandy said.

"Max is a wonderful person, but he isn't prepared to have a family and he doesn't even want that right now," Catherine told her.

Well,if that's the case, I hope he's happy," Sandy replied.

"I thought a lot about my life, Sandy, and I made a decision. Time is running out and I'm still here alone. I want to have a family, and I decided not to wait any longer, I'm going to do artificial insemination."

"What? You don't need that, Catherine. Any man would apply to be your child's father."

"Well, my son isn't going to have a father. It will be just him and me," Catherine replied.

"Well, if that's what you want, I support you. Can I be your baby's godmother?" Sandy asked.

Catherine smiled. "Of course, Sandy."

Catherine and Susan put their plans into practice.

Steve went to the clinic to collect the genetic material, but he was upset by Susan's decision.

Catherine would be fertilized with material from an anonymous donor and Susan with Steve's material. The selection was being made in the laboratory, the technician received a call and that distracted her. When she went to store the genetic material from the anonymous donor and Steve, she was no longer sure who the material was. "Damn it! It never happened to me before." She took a deep breath and put the tubes back. "I think you belong here and you belong there."

Three days later, Catherine was going to the Clinic when Sandy called her. "I'm calling to wish you luck, my friend."

"Thank you, Sandy. I'm a little nervous, I'm afraid it won't work."

"It will be all right, Catherine, just believe it."


	8. Chapter 8

Three weeks later ...

Catherine woke up feeling sick and unwilling to eat.

"Oh, my God! Did I make it?" she thought. She went to the drawer and took a pregnancy test that she had purchased a few days earlier. It was the longest five minutes of her life.

Catherine was thrilled with the positive result. "I zza it! I did it!"

She placed both hands on her belly and smiled through her tears. "I already love you very much, my baby."

Catherine was very happy and wanted to tell someone the news. "I only have one friend," she thought. She wanted to call Sandy, but gave up. She would tell Sandy later, when they'd both be at work.

Steve woke up with Susan's call.

"Steve, come over to my house, please. I'm feeling really bad."

"What are you feeling, Susan?" Steve asked.

"I already threw up everything I had to throw up and I feel very weak," she replied.

"Ok, Susan. I'll be there in 20 minutes."

.Steve went over to Susan's house and found that she really wasn't feeling well. He took her to the hospital where it was found that she was pregnant.

"Oh, Steve! I'm happy even though I'm feeling so bad. Are you happy?"

Steve looked at Susan lying on the hospital bed and felt a little strange that he wasn't as happy as he should be. "Of course I'm happy, Susan."

"We're going to have a baby! This is so wonderful!" Susan told him.

"Yes, it's wonderful," Steve replied.

"This baby will bring us closer, Steve."

Catherine arrived happily at the office and Sandy arrived shortly afterwards bringing coffee.

"No, Sandy! I can't even see the coffee."

"Oh, my God! You did it!" Sandy was happy for Catherine.

"Yes, I am pregnant!" Catherine replied.

Sandy hugged Catherine and thrilled her. "What is it, Catherine?"

"Thank you for being happy for my baby. Today I realized how lonely I am. I wanted to go out and tell everyone that I was pregnant, and there was no one I could tell," Catherine told Sandy.

"How was there no one? And me?" Sandy asked her.

"Sorry, Sandy. I mean no one besides you."

"You can tell Max," Sandy said.

"No, Max is dating and I don't want to ruin his relationship. He would be able to come to Hawaii just to find out if I'm okay."

Steve arrived at Headquarters in the afternoon and told the team the news.

"Wow! What wonderful news! Can I be the baby's Godfather?" Danny asked.

"Stop being offered, Danny," Tani replied.

"This deserves a celebration in the Kamekona trailer," Adam said.

"I can already see the kid running through these corridors, messing in everything he sees ahead," Lou told Steve.

"And why can't it be a girl?" Quinn told Lou.

Steve just smiled and said nothing. He was still getting used to the idea of being a father, of having a human being dependent on him for everything.

Three months later...

Catherine arrived at the doctor's office for her prenatal consultation. She passed the receptionist's desk and was then waiting to be seen by the doctor. She picked up a magazine and was uninterestedly flipping through it. She stopped flipping through the magazine when she heard Susan's voice. She lifted her head and looked toward the receptionist's desk. Steve was there, especially handsome that day, in Catherine's opinion. Catherine looked at Susan's prominent belly and felt a lump in her throat.

It was the first time she saw Steve after the scandal at the bar. Catherine looked away and started leafing through the magazine again without paying attention to the content. Her eyes were watery and she didn't want him to see her. "Will I ever get over it? How can I forget a great love? I would like someone to give me an answer."

Steve sat next to Susan and she was looking forward to the baby's ultrasound. "I wish we could find out the sex of the baby today," she told Steve.

"Maybe we'll be lucky," he told her.

Steve looked around and his gaze stopped on Catherine who was sitting in the corner. He couldn't help but notice her belly that seemed to be bigger than Susan's.

"Catherine pregnant?" he thought and couldn't help but feel a sense of jealousy invading his chest. How he wished that son was his. "Max is a lucky guy," he thought.

Susan noticed that Steve was staring and followed his gaze. She didn't like seeing Catherine there at all. "It looks like this woman is chasing us!" Susan thought.


	9. Chapter 9

Catherine was called by the doctor after a few minutes that seemed like an eternity to her. It hurt her very much to see Steve with another woman, although she knew she had no right to feel that way. She entered the doctor's office a little sadly, but was soon glad to see the baby on the monitor screen.

"Is it already possible to know if it is a boy or a girl?" Catherine asked.

The doctor smiled. "I'm sorry, but not yet. This baby is shy and is not allowing me to see. But while your baby makes a secret, everything is fine with you two, the evolution of your pregnancy is great and your exams are very good. Congratulations and keep it up.I will see you next month.

Steve saw her leave the doctor's office and leave without even looking at him. "How things have changed ..." he thought.

Catherine didn't look at him, but not because she didn't want to see him, she just didn't want to cause any problems between him and his girlfriend, or wife, she didn't know if he had married or not.

"Did you see that? She was the only one in the waiting room who wasn't with the child's father," Susan told Steve.

Susan's tone of satisfaction that Catherine was there alone irritated him. "Maybe he couldn't come, Susan."

Susan was annoyed. "You always defend her, don't you? I wouldn't be surprised if her son's father was you."

"What are you talking about? I haven't seen Catherine in months."

Susan was sulky until called by the doctor. Some time later she was called and Steve entered the doctor's office with her.

"How are you feeling?" the doctor asked Susan.

"I've been in a bit of pain for two days now," she replied.

"You didn't tell me that, Susan," Steve complained.

"Are you a doctor?" she asked Steve, because she was still upset with him.

The doctor felt the tension between the two and asked Susan to lie down on the stretcher so that she could do the ultrasound.

The doctor examined Susan and Steve saw a worried expression on her. Steve looked at Susan and then looked at the doctor. "Some problem?"

"I'm going to send Susan to the hospital," the doctor said.

"Why?" Susan stood up abruptly from the stretcher and wanted to know what was wrong.

"I didn't hear the baby's heartbeat and you're feverish," the doctor said.

Susan despaired. "How come you didn't hear my baby's heartbeat? Try again, you're wrong!" She yelled at the doctor and Steve tried to calm her down. "Susan, stop. We are going to the hospital and you are going to have more detailed tests. Stay calm."

"Don't ask me to stay calm! It's my son!" She said and started to cry.

Catherine arrived at work and everyone crowded around her. They wanted to know if the baby was a boy or a girl.

"I still don't know. The doctor couldn't see it," Catherine replied.

"Ahhhhhh!" They said and dispersed around the office.

Sandy sat next to her. ""Are you upset?"

Catherine's eyes filled with tears. "I saw Steve at the doctor's office with his girlfriend, she is also pregnant. It saddened me a lot, Sandy. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I can't help it."

"I'm sorry that you feel that way, Catherine."

"Do you think I'm a monster? I wish them no harm, I'm just sad because she has the man I've always loved. I know I'm being selfish," Catherine said weeping.

"Don't be like that, it's not good for your baby, and I don't think you're a monster, you just love him," Sandy replied.

Catherine wiped the tears away with her hands.

"And speaking of love, your eternal enamoured, who has a girlfriend, called. He said he called your cell phone and you didn't answer him," Sandy told Catherine and was referring to Max.

"Max?" Catherine asked and took out her phone. "Yeah, he really called me."

"His girlfriend must hate you," Sandy said and laughed.

"I never gave her any reason to hate me. Me and Max haven't had anything in a long time," Catherine replied.

"You and Steve also haven't had anything for a long time, and I don't think it improves the dislike that his girlfriend feels for you," Sandy replied.

"You're right, it's better not call Max back," Catherine said and put the phone down on the table.

Soon the phone rang, and it was Max trying to reach her again. Catherine hesitated at first, but then picked up the phone. "Hi, Max. It's so good to hear your voice, my friend."

"If you call Max a best friend I will never speak to you again. Your best friend is me," Sandy whispered and left the office for Catherine to talk freely with Max.

Steve was standing in the hospital corridor when Danny arrived.

"What happened, Steve? How's Susan doing?"

"She lost the baby, Danny. You know, at first I wasn't very excited about this whole thing, but now that the baby is gone, I'm really sad. I feel guilty in some way," Steve replied and cried.

Danny hugged him. "I'm sorry, Steve."

Catherine was talking to Max when she felt something. "Yay!" she said.

"Yay? Catherine, I'm telling you that I almost died run over and you say"Yay" ? Are you celebrating?"

"No, Max. It's not that. I'm just really happy because my baby kicked for the first time," Catherine said and was running a hand over her belly.


	10. Chapter 10

"Well, you and Susan can try again," Danny told Steve.

"No, Danny. This experience was already quite traumatic for me. It's enough," Steve replied.

"So try the natural way," Danny told him.

Steve sighed, and leaned his body against the wall in tiredness.

"Why aren't you in there with her?" Danny asked.

"Because she blames me for the loss of the child and, in this moment, she is unbearable."

"It'll be over soon, Steve, it's just the frustration of the moment."

Steve was silent for a few minutes and Danny stayed by his side.

"Catherine is pregnant," Steve told Danny.

"And is the son yours?"

"No, Danny. And do you believe Max didn't go to the doctor with her? All the women there were accompanied and Max let her go alone," Steve was annoyed with Max.

"Maybe he had a problem and he couldn't go, that doesn't mean he doesn't care. I didn't go to all the appointments with Rachel when she was pregnant."

"Maybe you are right, but I didn't like to see her there alone, " Steve replied.

"Well, that's not your problem, Steve. Your problem is here. I think you are caring too much for Catherine and you are not providing the support that Susan needs."

"I will always care about Catherine, Danny. She will always be part of my life in some way, I can't erase what I lived with her. And I do care that Max wasn't there with her. How do you think she was feeling? she looked sad."

"Stop thinking about it for now, and go stay with Susan," Danny insisted.

"I need to arrange the burial. It was a boy, Danny," Steve was crying and Danny put his hand on his shoulder in support.

The next day, the team accompanied Steve at the funeral and then returned to headquarters while Steve went to the hospital.

Steve arrived at the hospital and Susan's parents were in the room with her. He greeted them and approached Susan. "It's done," he told her.

"Is that how you refer to your son?" Susan asked.

"I'm just saying that I already did what I could do for him, Susan. What else could I do now? The only thing I could do was say goodbye and I did," Steve replied.

"You're an insensitive idiot, I don't want to look at you anymore. Get out of here!" She yelled at him.

"Stop it, Susan! We are in the hospital," her mother asked.

"He never wanted the baby, mom. He must be happy that my baby is gone." Susan was crying and was angry with Steve.

"That's not true, Susan. I am suffering as much as you are," Steve replied.

Susan turned her face away. "Go away, you liar."

Steve was upset and left the hospital. He walked around town to think and then went into a diner. He hadn't eaten anything yet and it was the middle of the afternoon. Steve looked around the room and saw Catherine sitting at the last table. He could not resist the urge to go to her and did not know what to say when he came near her, nor did he know if she would speak to him.

"Hi, Catherine."

Catherine raised her head to look at him. "Hi, Steve."

He was speechless and she thought he was not well. "Do you want to sit down?"

"Yes, thank you," he replied and sat across from her. He looked at her plate and told her that fast food and malasadas were not healthy food for a pregnant woman.

"I know, but I think it's a pregnant wish. If I don't eat at least one malasada a day I feel like I'm going to go crazy."

Steve smiled.

"I'm exaggerated, right?" She said.

Steve just smiled, but it was a sad smile.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"No, Catherine. I'm not well, I just buried my son."

"What? Oh, Steve, I'm so sorry!" Catherine said and instinctively placed her hand over his.

"Thank you," he replied.

"What happened?" Catherine asked.

"The doctors didn't give any specific cause. His heart just stopped beating. Only Susan doesn't understand that and thinks it's my fault."

"I'm really sorry," Catherine said again.

Steve cried and apologized for that.

"Don't apologize for crying. Sometimes it's necessary, it's not a sign of weakness," Catherine told him. She knew very well what she was talking about because she had already cried for him several times, and, well, she still cry for him sometimes.

"Thanks, Catherine. I'm feeling a little lost and no one understands me like you."

"It's been that way for many years," she told him affectionately.

Steve just nodded.

"Order something to eat, you need to eat," Catherine said and he did.

Steve calmed down and was eating. He looked at her several times, wanting to ask a question.

"How's Max doing?" he finally asked.

"Max is fine. He's probably with his girlfriend by now, because it's already the middle of the night in the country where he is."

Steve was both surprised and annoyed. "Max left her pregnant and is with another woman. What a scoundrel!" he thought.

"Are you feeling better?" Catherine asked.

"Yes, Catherine. Thanks for listening to me."

"You are always welcome."


	11. Chapter 11

"Well, I need to go now, Steve," Catherine told him after finishing eating.

"Are you in a car? I can drop you off at your place if you want," he replied. He didn't really want her to leave.

"Actually I'm going back to work," she said and pointed to the building in front.

"Do you work at this private security company?" Steve asked.

"Yes, but my job is now internal. I can't take any more chances on the streets because I'm going to have a child to raise," she replied, but later regretted it. "Oh, Steve, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be insensitive."

"You don't have to apologize, Catherine. You don't have to avoid talking about your baby because I lost mine," Steve told her.

"Thank you for your company," she said and stood up. She got dizzy and rested both hands on the table.

Steve got up quickly. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, it was just a dizziness. It happens sometimes," she replied.

"Come on, I will accompany you to your work, although I think you should go home," Steve said and offered his arm.

"Well, if you were still my boss, I could go home," she replied and took his arm.

Steve crossed the street with her, entered the building and took her to the office.

"Thank you, Steve."

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine," she replied.

"Take care," he said and left.

Sandy saw that Catherine watched Steve until he got into the elevator. Catherine went to her office and Sandy followed. "Who is he?"

"Who?" Catherine asked.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about, Catherine," Sandy replied.

"He is Steve," Catherine replied.

"Your ex-boyfriend? Wow, Catherine! How could you lose this man? You were incompetent. That wouldn't have happened to me," Sandy said and Catherine was upset with her.

"That was all I didn't need to hear today, Sandy. Now excuse me that I need to work."

Sandy left and Catherine had tears in her eyes. Sandy had touched the wound in her heart.

"Sandy says she is my best friend and calls me incompetent," Catherine thought.

She sat down and the baby moved in her belly. Catherine stroked her belly and spoke to the baby. "Hey, my love. Mommy didn't pay you much attention today. Forgive Mommy. We can talk now, in this moment that is just mine and yours. I want you to know that I already love you very much."

Steve decided not to go to Headquarters after he left Catherine at her office. He also didn't return to the hospital to see Susan, since she was ignoring him. He went home and sat on the chair by the beach. Finding Catherine again stirred his feelings and left him agitated. "Oh, God, how I wish things were different now," Steve thought. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "That baby could be mine, we could be together. How many opportunities she gave me and I didn't ask her to come back."

Danny interrupted Steve's thoughts and sat down next to him.

"Shouldn't you be with Susan at the hospital?" Danny asked.

"Her mom is there with her. Danny, I don't think I want to continue this relationship," Steve said.

"What do you mean, Steve? You can't leave Susan now that she lost the baby. She'll need your support," Danny replied.

"And who supports me, Danny? I'm unhappy," Steve replied.

"You lost a son, Steve. Of course you are unhappy, but it will get better."

Steve just nodded, but was silent. He wouldn't tell Danny that he had seen Catherine and had been with her, even as a friend.

The next day, Steve worked normally in the morning and then went to the hospital. Susan was hostile to him again and he wasn't long there. He stopped in front of the diner where Catherine said she ate every day and waited for her. He found her so beautiful when she walked through the door of the cafeteria and felt her heart flutter.

Catherine saw him sitting at her favorite table and came over.

"I already ordered. Here are your malasadas," he smiled and said.

"Thank you," Catherine said and sat down.

Steve met her at the cafeteria daily for three months, and Catherine noticed that the baby already knew Steve's voice and moved a lot when he was around.

"So, what's the baby's gender?" Steve asked.

"It's a boy, and he's going to be called Kenny," Catherine said.

"It's a beautiful name," Steve replied. He looked concerned, and Catherine noticed that.

"What's wrong?" Catherine asked.

"It's Susan. She doesn't accept the end of our relationship. It's been two months since we broke up and she doesn't give up. She's crossing the line, and it bothers me."

"I'm sorry, Steve."

Susan received an anonymous call saying that Steve would be at the diner with Catherine. She went over there and offended Catherine, embarrassing her.

Catherine got up, picked up her bag and left. She had never felt so humiliated in her life.

At night, she was getting ready for bed when the doorbell rang. She opened the door and came across a huge stuffed dog, almost her size.

"What is it, Steve?"

"I wanted to apologize for what happened at the diner this afternoon. And this one is just a little gift for Kenny," Steve told her.


	12. Chapter 12

Catherine put her hands on her hips and then pointed at the stuffed dog. "A little gift? That'll take up the whole baby's room."

Steve was disappointed. "Won't you accept it?"

"Of course I will accept it, Steve. Thank you for your affection for my son."

"You and him are welcome, Catherine."

Catherine realized that she had left him standing outside. "Oh, I'm sorry, Steve.

Come in, please. Do you want to see his room? "

"Yes," Steve replied.

Steve came in and Catherine took him to the baby's room. Steve looked around and told her that the room was beautiful.

"Thank you, I wanted everything simple, nothing too expensive, but beautiful," she replied.

Steve saw a closed box leaning against the wall. "Is it the crib?"

"Yes, I called a furniture assembler, but he didn't come on the agreed date or call me to arrange another date. He just ignored me, and I don't know why."

"Saturday will be my day off and I can set up the crib for you, if you want, of course," Steve told her.

"I will be very grateful if you do this for me, Steve," Catherine replied.

"I'll be here on Saturday then. I know that if I don't come, you will be venturing to set up this crib yourself," he said and smiled.

"You know me better than anyone, right? I just haven't set up this crib yet because it's hard for me to get down."

"Where's the idiot Max? He abandoned her, doesn't help her with the baby's stuff and she doesn't seem to care," Steve thought.

"Then it's settled. Saturday at 10:00 a.m?" He asked her.

"Yes, that's great. You can come early if you want to have breakfast with me," Catherine replied.

Steve's phone rang and he apologized to Catherine.

"Feel free to answer," she said and left the room.

It was Junior calling Steve. Susan had gone to Steve's house and asked Junior and Danny to leave his house.

"What? She has no right to do that!" Steve was annoyed. "Listen to what I'm going to say, Junior: you and Danny aren't going anywhere. Who does she think she is to give orders at my house?"

"Ok, Steve. I'm going to talk to Danny," Junior replied.

Junior ended the call and Steve sighed.

"Problems?" Catherine asked as she returned to the room.

"Yes, but don't worry about it. Well, I guess it's time to go home. See you at the cafeteria in front of your work?" Steve had gotten used to seeing her every day and the thought of not being with her everyday haunted him.

"I won't have the courage to go back there after the humiliation that Susan put me through today, Steve. I'm sorry, but I'm not going there anymore," Catherine replied. She was also saddened by the thought of not seeing him anymore every day.

"Actually, that's why I came here. I want to apologize for what happened," Steve said to Catherine.

Steve was annoyed because Susan still chased him even after their relationship ended. Catherine was a refuge for him, and he liked to be with her.

"Maybe you can tell her the truth. Tell her that we met at the cafeteria just to talk, and nothing more. After all, before we had a relationship we were good friends," Catherine told him.

"I won't say anything to her, Catherine. I don't have to give Susan any satisfaction.

"Okay, do as you like," she replied.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude to you," he said when he realized that she was upset by the tone he answered her.

"Okay," she replied.

Steve walked towards the door and she followed him. He kissed her on the cheek and put his hand on her belly quickly. "See you two on Saturday."

"Until Saturday," she replied and stood in front of the door as he walked down the building's corridor.

Catherine's elderly neighbor was walking down the hall and passed Steve. She smiled as she approached Catherine. "He is handsome."

Catherine smiled at her, too. "How are you, Mrs. Turner?"

"I'm fine, dear. And I see that you're fine, too," she replied.

Catherine smiled and said nothing, just thought. "You're wrong, Mrs. Turner. I really wanted to be okay with him, but I think it was all in the past." Catherine sighed, then went into and closed the door.

Steve came home and found Junior and Danny waiting for him.

"Where were you? We had to put up with Susan's complaints and we were even kicked out of the house," Danny said.

"The house is mine, she has no right to evict anyone," Steve replied.

"She said that you are having an affair with Catherine and that she caught you two together," Danny told him.

"I was just having an afternoon snack with Catherine. What if I was having an affair? No one has anything to do with it, least of all Susan!"

"I think it's great that you and Catherine are "having a snack together", but I think you should solve your problem with Susan once and for all. And I would rather leave here than be called a parasite again," Danny said.

"Who called you a parasite?" Steve asked.

"Susan."

"Well, actually, she called Danny and me a parasite. Sorry for the audacity, but I prefer Catherine a thousand times," Junior told Steve.

The next day, Catherine arrived at work and went straight to Sandy's office.

"Good morning, Catherine," Sandy told her.

"Why did you do that, Sandy? I considered you my best friend and you cheated on me."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Catherine," Sandy replied.

"You are the only person who knew that Steve and I met at the cafeteria almost every day. You called his ex-girlfriend and told her that we were there."

"Are you crazy, Catherine? Why would I do that?" Sandy asked.

"That's what I want to know, too. And don't underestimate my intelligence," Catherine said and left the office.

In the afternoon, at the same time she used to go to the cafeteria, Catherine was agitated and anxious. "Calm down, Catherine. It doesn't do the baby any good," she told herself.

A few minutes later, someone knocked on the office door and Catherine got up to open the door. Her belly was heavy and she had back pain. Steve was standing in front of her office door with coffee and a small box of malasadas.

"I don't believe it," she said and smiled.

"Well, you said once that you would go crazy if you didn't eat a malasada a day. So if you don't go to the malasada, the malasada comes to you."

PS: Thank you very much for your review.


	13. Chapter 13

"Aww, Steve. Thank you," Catherine said and took the box from him quickly. "Sorry for my lack of manners, but I was really looking forward to eating this."

"I imagined it," he replied.

"Get in," she said and stepped aside so he could pass. She knew she should get away from him, but she couldn't. After all, he told her that he was done with Susan, and she had a clear conscience because she didn't cause their separation.

Steve entered her office and looked around. "It's not comfortable for you. You should have a couch here."

Catherine placed the box and cup of coffee on the table. "Yeah, I really should have a couch. My back hurts and, especially today, it hurts a lot," Catherine replied as she put her hands on her hips.

Steve sat in the chair across from her desk. Catherine also sat down and offered him malasada.

"No, I already ate. This is just yours. By the way, the waitress asked about you," Steve told her.

"I don't have the courage to go back there," Catherine replied.

"You don't have to worry about what people think, Catherine."

Catherine didn't answer because she was eating.

Steve got up, approached her and kissed her forehead. "Well, I'm leaving. You're working and I don't want to disturb you."

"Thanks for the snack," she said.

"You are welcome. See you tomorrow," Steve replied.

"Don't forget to take the tools to assemble the crib."

"I will not forget."

Catherine was going to get up to accompany him to the door but Steve stopped her. "No, don't get up, I know the way. Enjoy your snack."

Catherine smiled at him. "Bye."

"Bye," Steve replied and left.

Catherine watched him leave and felt her heart tighten. "What am I doing, my God?" she thought. Steve was coming out of a troubled relationship where the woman didn't want to leave him and Catherine was getting involved in this. And she was pregnant. "Steve will never want me pregnant with a child that isn't his. Why I stay here thinking about him every day of my life, with my heart racing, waiting for a loving word, a touch of his hand, a kiss on the forehead ? I'm making the same mistakes as always."

The next day, Steve was in the garage at home, picking up the tools he would need to assemble baby's crib. The phone rang and it was Catherine calling him.

"Steve," Susan said as she entered the garage before he answered Catherine.

"Susan," Steve replied.

"We can talk?" She asked.

Steve didn't want to be rude to her. "Actually, I have an appointment now, Susan."

"I won't be long, I promise," she said.

"Okay. You have five minutes to explain the scandal at the diner, and to explain to me why you kicked Danny and Junior out of my house," Steve said and emphasized the words "my house".

"I'm not going to say that I'm sorry for the scandal at the diner. Isn't that woman ashamed? She's pregnant with another man and yet she's flirting with you. Or is it your baby?"

"Do you see how impossible it is to talk to you? The baby is not mine, and me and Catherine have been friends for twenty years or more and I will always care about her. But I no longer have to give you satisfactions about my life," Steve replied.

Susan grabbed him and tried to kiss him.

"Stop, Susan!" He asked.

"I love you, Steve!" She said.

"Do you love me? Do you remember how you treated me after losing the baby? I'm done with you, Susan. Please leave me alone!"

Susan looked at him angrily.

"Danny!" Steve called out to him.

Danny was in the kitchen and went to the garage when he heard Steve calling him.

"You called me?" Danny asked when he entered the garage.

"Yes. I'm leaving. Please accompany Susan to the door when she decides to leave my house." He picked up his tool bag and left.

Susan was outraged. "Do you see how he treats me, Danny?"

Danny held up both hands. "Don't involve me in this, Susan."

Steve got in the car and called Catherine. "Hey, Catherine. I'm on my way."

"Hi, Steve. Don't go to my place, I felt bad and I had to come to the hospital. The doctor admitted me."

Steve was concerned. "Why didn't you call me, Catherine?"

"I'll be fine. I'm just with my blood pressure altered," she replied.

"But that's not a good thing. I'm going to the hospital. Which hospital are you in?"

Catherine said the name of the hospital and Steve saw Susan leaving his home. He ended the call and accelerated the car.

Steve arrived at the hospital and found Catherine lying down. "Hey, Cath."

"Hi, Steve. You didn't have to come. The day is so beautiful outside, don't waste your day inside a hospital," Catherine told him.

"I only get out of here when you're well," he replied.

Catherine looked at him and saw something that hurt her. She felt like crying and told him that she needed to go to the bathroom. He helped her get out of bed and she went into the bathroom.

Steve saw her phone on the bed and searched for Max's phone number. He saved Max's phone number on his phone and put her phone on the bed again.

Catherine was crying because she saw his shirt collar and lipstick-stained neck. "He was with her," Catherine thought.

Steve knocked on the bathroom door. "Cath, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied.

"I'm going to the reception and I'll be right back," he told her.

"Okay," Catherine replied as she tried to dry the tears that insisted on falling.

Steve left the room and called Max.

"Hello?" Max said as he answered the phone.

"Max, Steve here."

"Hi, Steve! How are you? We haven't talked in a long time," Max replied.

"How am I doing? I'm really mad at you! How could you abandon her pregnant? Catherine's in the hospital now, and she's alone! What kind of father are you?" Steve was outraged.

"I'm really sorry that she's in the hospital, Steve. I'm going to call her, you know that I care about her. But I didn't abandon Catherine pregnant, I'm not the father of that child."

Steve was surprised by Max's answer. "Aren't you the father?"

PS: Thank you for your review.


	14. Chapter 14

"No! Did she tell you that I was?" Max asked Steve.

"No, but I thought so," Steve replied.

"Catherine and I are no longer together, I'm even dating someone else, but I will always feel an immense affection for her," Max said.

"So who's Kenny's dad?" Steve spoke as if he were thinking out loud.

Max noticed how disappointed Steve was and felt sorry for him. He knew that Catherine still loved Steve and Max thought Steve loved her too.

"Well, I don't know if I should tell you this, since she didn't tell you, but Kenny is the result of artificial insemination, Steve. He doesn't have a father officially, the donor was anonymous."

Steve was shaken by Max's revelation. "But why did she do that?"

"She wanted to be a mother, Steve. I didn't want to be a father, you had a girlfriend, she didn't have anyone and she took the easy way out for her. You can't judge her."

Steve was silent for a few seconds. "I'm not judging her, Max."

"Your silence told me otherwise," Max replied.

"I'm not judging, I just don't understand. Thanks for telling me and I'm sorry for anything. Call her later, I think she likes to talk to you," Steve told Max and ended the call.

Steve saw a nurse enter Catherine's room and was concerned.

"You are nervous?" Steve heard the nurse ask Catherine.

"Yes, a little," Catherine replied.

"So calm down. This isn't doing you any good," the nurse replied.

"I'll try," Catherine replied.

"The doctor will come to see you in a little while," the nurse said and left the room.

Catherine looked at Steve. "Go home, Steve. I'm fine and your girlfriend must be waiting for you."

"I already told you that I have nothing more to do with Susan."

Catherine's eyes filled with tears, the pregnancy had made her very sensitive. "Look in the mirror before lying to me."

"I'm not lying, Catherine."

"So why are your shirt and neck soiled with lipstick?" Catherine asked.

"What?" Steve went to the bathroom and found that his shirt was really smeared with lipstick and so was his neck. "Damn it!" he thought, and then returned to the room.

"Catherine, she went at my house today and tried to kiss me by force, this doesn't mean anything," Steve said pointing to his own neck.

"I'm sorry, I know I don't have that right," she said.

"I have nothing to do with her, Cath."

"Okay," Catherine replied and then lay down on the bed, turning to the other side.

Steve took the chair and sat on the side of her bed. "Don't you want to look at me? No problem, I'll stay here anyway," Steve said calmly.

"You don't have to stay here," she said.

"No, I don't really need to stay here because we don't have a relationship anymore, and I'm not your son's father either, but there's a little detail: I want to stay here and I'm going to stay here! Who's going to put me out ? You, with that watermelon-sized belly? "

Steve made her laugh and look at him. "Okay, but I'm not talking to you," Catherine disse a ele.

"Okay," Steve replied and was quiet.

Steve was thinking about how she came up with the attitude of doing artificial insemination. She must have been feeling very lonely, with no hope of finding a person with whom she could start a family. He had felt that way himself when he agreed to have a child with Susan, but he now clearly saw that he was wrong. He would never be happy with Susan and maybe he would be stuck with her because of the son they would have together. And the proof that he wouldn't be happy is that the relationship ended after she lost the baby.

He was very angry with her for not telling him that the baby had no father and let him think that the father was Max. She also told Max about artificial insemination and did not tell him. He felt betrayed, but he didn't want to question her because she was not well.

Steve also wondered what he was doing there. "Well, it doesn't matter. I will always be here for her, no matter what she does," Steve thought and remembered that being next to her in the hospital was much less dangerous than being with her on that island where they went with Jerry. Well, that meant he would do anything for her.

He thought that if he hadn't been with Susan when Catherine came back to Hawaii, maybe they could have had a child together and she wouldn't have to do what she did.

"Cath?" he called her and she didn't answer.

"Are you really going to take this business of not talking to me seriously?" he asked.

When she didn't answer again, he got up and saw that she was sleeping. Steve shyly put his hand on her belly and stroked it. He was feeling the desire to be a part of that child's life.


	15. Chapter 15

"You didn't have to bring me home, Steve. I'm fine now," Catherine told him when they arrived at her home after she discharged from the hospital.

Steve came in carrying her bag and his backpack with his tools. "I'm going to set up the crib," he replied.

"Okay. Thanks," she replied and sat on the couch.

"I don't think they should have discharged you from the hospital. You still don't look good," Steve told her.

"I'm tired, but this is normal," she replied.

"Well, I'm going to put your bag in your room."

"Okay," Catherine replied. She was realizing that he was upset and she knew it was because Max had told him about the insemination. Max told her about telling him.

Steve put her purse in the room and then went to the baby's room. He was opening and packing the crib when Catherine approached.

"Steve, you don't have to do this if you don't want to!"

"What are you talking about, Catherine? I told you that I was going to set up the crib and I'm going to do that," he replied.

"Steve, I know you know about me having artificial insemination, and I also know that it is bothering you because there are still feelings between us. I know it is not over, that unique feeling is still planted in our hearts and still lives."

"How does Max talk, huh?" Steve told her.

"Please don't hate my son, he is not to blame for anything," Catherine asked.

"I don't hate anyone, Catherine, let alone a child who hasn't even been born."

"So if you don't want to set up his crib, that's fine, I won't be upset," Catherine replied.

"Hey! Go rest, and leave me here, I need concentration."

"Ok, I'm sorry," she said and left the baby's room.

After a few minutes, Steve thought he had been very hard on her. He went to her room where she was lying and sat on the bed.

"I'm sorry for being rude to you. You're right, I was upset and I don't have that right, after all I was dating someone else and I was even going to have a child with her. And you are also right when you say that our feeling doesn't ended yet."

Steve was silent for a few seconds and then continued to speak.

"You know, it was easier for me to accept that Kenny was Max's son. After all, Max is younger than me, he's more handsome than me. But knowing that you preferred a stranger, it hurts me. I would have done it for you if you asked me, even if I was still with Susan at that time."

Catherine was lying down and then sat on the bed.

"That was just my desperation to be alone, Steve. I thought that at least I would have my son to take care of, to worry about, I thought he would take my solitude away. And I would never ask you that. I knew that you had someone else and I wouldn't, in any way, interfere with your life. I had no right to ask you to have a child with me," Catherine said and was trying wipe away her tears.

"Come here," Steve said and hugged her. "I will never hate your son, rest assured."

"Thank you. And by the way, Max is not more handsome than you," Catherine told him as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Good to know," Steve replied.

Steve stroked her head as she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling supported and allowing him to take care of her.

"When you argued with me in that bar, you told me that no one would love you like Max, and that is not true. No one will love you the way I loved and still do," Steve told her in a rare moment. He had only said her "I love you" once, and that was the second time.

"I love you, too," Catherine answered.

Steve kissed her face, and then searched her mouth, kissing her passionately.

Two days later, Steve came home in the morning.

"Wow! I'm surprised to find that you still live here," Danny told him ironically.

"Good morning to you too, Danny," Steve also replied wryly.

Eddie came running and jumped at Steve. Junior entered shortly afterwards.

"Eddie and I did quite a walk," Junior told Steve.

"Thanks, Junior. I haven't paid much attention to him lately," Steve replied.

"Sorry, budy!" Steve told Eddie.

"Who can compete with Catherine, right?" Danny said.

"Are you jealous?" Steve asked Danny.

"No, of course not. I just can't take any more calls from your ex. She called me at three in the morning, Steve! I had to tell her that I'm not your nanny."

"I'm sorry, Danny. I know that you really have nothing to do with this and Susan shouldn't be calling you. I just don't know how to fix this. I already told her that it's all over among us, but she doesn't accept it."

"But you need to stop this once and for all. Susan is able to go after Catherine. That wouldn't be a concern if Catherine were in her normal state, but she is more fragile now," Danny said.

Steve was concerned. "Do you think she might want to hurt Catherine?"

"Just You can tell me that. Susan seemed like an absolutely normal person until you ended the relationship with her. After that, she seems completely bewildered," Danny replied.

"She's not a bad person, she just needs to accept the end," Steve said.

"How's Catherine doing?" Danny asked.

"She is fine, but the doctor ordered her to rest. I will take the doctor's papers to Catherine's work and then I will go to Headquarters."

"Uh! Did you remember that you have a job too?" Danny told Steve and Junior laughed.

"You two ..." Junior said and then went to his room.

Steve went to Catherine's workplace and was greeted by Sandy, who insinuated himself several times, flirting with him shamelessly, making him uncomfortable. He pretended not to notice and left Catherine's medical leave with her.

After Steve left, Sandy took Catherine's papers and tore them into several pieces. "It looks like someone is going to lose the job, and I'm going to take the position that was rightfully mine in this company."

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	16. Chapter 16

Steve went to headquarters after going to Catherine's job. He arranged some papers that were on his desk. He had some reports to do after he had not been to work for three days.

"Welcome back, boss," Tani told him when he returned from the street and went to his office.

"Even you, Tani?" Steve asked.

"What? I just said welcome," she replied.

"Without any irony?" Steve said.

"No irony," she smiled and left the office.

Steve smiled and continued on his accumulated papers.

Junior, Danny and Lou also arrived and greeted him. "Whoever is alive always shows up," Lou said.

"You guys are mocking me, right?" Steve told them.

"Although Tani was almost kidnapped and Junior was almost shot, I didn't say anything," Danny replied to Steve and then looked at Junior. "Did you say anything, Junior?"

Junior held up both hands. "Anything."

Steve put his hands on his hips. "Look, I know I owe a satisfaction for not showing up for work for three days, but I was helping a friend. It was important that I was there. I'm sorry if you needed me and I wasn't here," Steve told the team.

"It's okay," Junior replied.

"Okay, man," Lou replied and left the office. Junior followed him and joined Tani to go to lunch.

"Will not you have lunch?" Danny asked Steve.

"No. I have a lot to do here," Steve replied.

"What were you doing there, Steve?" Danny asked.

"Catherine was sick and spent two days in the hospital and when she went home I thought she was still not well, Danny. I stayed there and helped her. I set up the baby's crib, tidied up his room. His room is very beautiful."

"Wasn't the baby's father supposed to do this? Where's Max when you miss your job to go to set up his son's crib?" Danny asked.

Steve didn't want to expose Catherine's life to Danny. "I did it for her, Danny."

"And when the baby is born and his father is on the island, what will you do? Will you be watching the happy family?" Danny asked.

"He won't be here," Steve replied.

"Oh, yeah? And what makes you so sure about that?"

"Go to lunch, Danny. Leave me alone to work. You are very boring today," Steve replied and then concentrated on his reports.

"I'm going to lunch. Do you want me to bring you something to eat?"

"No, thanks," Steve replied.

Danny left and Steve was upset. He couldn't tell Danny that Catherine's son had no father, he couldn't talk about her personal life without authorization. But on the other hand, he knew that everyone thought he was a fool.

Fifteen minutes later, Catherine called him and asked if he had already had lunch.

"No, I went to your job and then I came to headquarters. There is a lot of work here and I won't have time to go out to lunch, and I'm also not hungry," Steve told her.

"You look upset. Did something happen?"

"No, Cath. It's okay."

Catherine felt it was not okay, but if he didn't want to talk, she wouldn't insist. "Okay. Have a good job. And thanks for delivering my sick leave."

"You're welcome." He answered and she was about to end the call when he called her back. "Cath?"

"Hmm?" she asked.

"Can I come and see you later?"

"Of course, Steve. You are always welcome. But know that even I am finding myself boring today," she replied.

Steve smiled. "I think I can to bear your bummer."

"Okay, sailor. See you later then."

Catherine ended the call and he was thoughtful.

He didn't know where they were going with this, but getting away from her was not an option for him. "But what about the baby? Will I be able to love this baby?" He asked himself. "Well, if I can love Joan, Grace and Charlie who are other people's children, then I think I can love the son of the woman I love."

A few hours later, Catherine was preparing dinner when Steve called her. "Cath, don't wait for me anymore, I left two reports to do tomorrow and it was exactly these two that the Governor demanded for tomorrow very early. I don't know what time I'm going to finish this. I'm exhausted and I don't want you to stay up late waiting for me. When I'm done, I'm going to my house. Rest, and if you feel anything, call me, no matter what time it is. "

Catherine was disappointed, but she didn't show it. She didn't want to pressure him. "It's all right."

When he finished the first report, which was the most difficult, Catherine knocked on his office door. "I can enter?" she asked.

Steve was surprised and smiled. He got up from the chair and hugged her. "Hey! What part of" Go to rest "didn't you understand?"

"Since you didn't have lunch and still had to stay here for a few hours, I thought you should be hungry, so I brought dinner."

"Is it your grandma's ragout? I missed eating it," Steve said and took the bag from her hand.

"No, it isn't. But I can do that tomorrow," she replied.

"Great, I'll wait anxiously. Let's heat up the food in the microwave."

After heating the food, they sat at the small table in the office kitchen and were having dinner.

"How did you spend the day?" Steve asked her.

"Good, but Kenny is very excited today. I think he thinks he's on a trampoline."

Steve looked at her belly. "I can see. He just took a super kick right now."

"Yes," Catherine replied.

Some minutes later...

Steve took her hand. "Thanks for worrying about me. Dinner was wonderful."

"Thanks for caring about me and Kenny," Catherine replied.

Steve smiled and kissed her. "Go home and rest now."

"Don't you want help with the report?" Catherine asked.

"No. I just want to know that you're going to be home, lying in your bed, and that you and this little boy inside you are going to sleep well."

"If this is going to make you more relaxed, that's fine. I'm going home."

"I'm going to wash the dishes," Steve told her.

"No need, just put them in the bag. I'll wash at home."

Steve accompanied her to the Palace parking lot and hugged and kissed her while Susan watched them from inside a car parked on the street.

"Call me when you get home," Steve told her.

"Okay," Catherine got in the car and drove away.

Steve watched her car move away and walked towards the Palace again.

"Steve!" He heard Susan call out to him.

Steve turned to look at her.

"You traitor," he heard her say as a shot hit him in the shoulder.

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	17. Chapter 17

Steve put his hand on his shoulder because it hurt a lot. "What did you do, Susan?"

"You are a damn traitor," Susan was out of control and crying. "I lost my son and you didn't care, after all you are going to have a child with her."

"That baby is not mine. Give me that gun, Susan. Don't make your life any more complicated," Steve asked her.

"Don't come near me!" she screamed.

The palace guards heard the shot and went out to see what was going on at the same time that Susan's parents arrived.

"Susan! What did you do?" Her mother asked when she saw that Steve was bleeding.

"He cheated on me, mom. I don't want to live anymore."

Her mother came over and Steve took advantage of Susan's distraction and took the gun out of her hand.

"Not!" Susan screamed.

The Palace guards approached and Steve held up his hand for them to stop.

"You ruined your life, my daughter," Susan's father said.

"No, Dad. He ruined my life," Susan replied.

"You have two options: hospitalize her for psychiatric treatment or watch her go to prison," Steve told her parents.

"I'm not crazy, mom!" Susan said to her mother.

Her mother hugged her. "No, you are not. You just need to rest for a few days and put your thoughts in order, daughter."

Susan's father led her to the car. Susan got in the car with her mother and her father turned to look at Steve. "Thank you."

Steve just nodded.

The Palace guard took the phone out of his pocket and called an ambulance.

"I don't need an ambulance," Steve said before passing out.

Catherine called Steve when she got home, but he didn't answer. She deduced that he was dedicating himself to the report so he could go home. She sent a message saying she got home well and then went to sleep.

Half an hour later, Danny arrived at the hospital and Steve was in the operating room. Tani and Junior arrived shortly after, as did Lou.

"Did you warn Catherine?" Junior asked Danny.

"No. I thought it best not to warn her. After he leaves surgery he can tell her," Danny replied.

"Okay," Junior replied.

Catherine was trying to sleep, but the baby was agitated.

"Kenny, what's going on in there? Mommy needs to sleep, baby. '

Kenny remained agitated and she was unable to sleep. "Do you want to hear a song?" She got up and took the album that Steve gave her as a gift when she left the Navy.

When the music started to play she lay down again and was stroking her belly. "Are you listening? I heard this song a lot when I was a kid, and it always made everything better."

After a few songs, Kenny was quiet and Catherine also fell asleep listening to her favorite songs.

The next day, Catherine waited for him to call early in the morning, but he didn't. "Is he ignoring me?" she thought, but then remembered that he had a meeting with the Governor and was calmer.

Some time later, Catherine was finishing her household chores when Steve called.

"Hey, I hope you have a good reason for not calling me earlier today," Catherine told him.

"A good reason? Hmm, let me think ... what if I tell you I was shot?" He said playfully.

"Don't play around with anything serious, Steve," Catherine told him.

"Well, I'm not kidding. I got shot, but I'm fine now. There's no reason for you to worry," Steve told her.

"What? Where are you? I'm coming to you now!"

"In the usual hospital. I think I already became a childhood friend of the doctors here."

Some time later she arrived at the hospital. Steve saw her enter the room with a worried face.

"I'm fine, don't worry," Steve told her.

Danny was sitting by the window. "He's fine, Catherine. You know he doesn't know how to live without getting shot once in a while."

"Hey, Danny."

Danny got up from the chair and placed the chair next to Steve's bed. "Sit here. I'm on my way, I need to finish the report he didn't make. I think he shot himself just so he wouldn't do this boring report," Danny told Catherine.

"Don't be ridiculous, Danny," Steve complained.

"Bye," Danny told them.

"Bye, Danny. And don't shoot yourself," Catherine told him.

"I'm going to try not to do that," Danny replied and left.

Catherine sat in the chair next to Steve's bed. "Leaving jokings aside, what happened, Steve?"

"Susan shot me. She saw us kissing in the Palace parking lot yesterday."

"Oh, Steve!"

"I didn't report it to the police and gave her parents the option of hospitalizing her for psychiatric treatment. She is not well psychologically, and I do not wish her any harm. I hope you understand me."

"I don't know if I would do the same, but I understand," Catherine replied to him.

"Come here," Steve asked and she approached. Steve kissed her fondly. "Thanks for understanding. And how's that little boy doing today?"

"He's calmer today." Catherine said excitedly that Kenny also liked the songs that were part of her childhood and that the songs soothed him the night before.

"Smart boy," Steve replied. He put his hand on her face and stroked it. "It's so nice to have you here. Your presence in my life is something I don't want come to end. You could be anywhere in the world, but you are here. I want to share you with Kenny, even though I know Kenny will get 90 percent of your attention. "

Catherine closed her eyes to enjoy the stroking of his hand on her face. "I know that Kenny will also be happy to share our life with you."

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	18. Chapter 18

A week later...

Steve was back at work, and was talking to Danny at the headquarters office.

"So, what is the status of your relationship with Catherine? You hardly ever go home, you practically live in her house now," Danny told Steve.

"Status of my relationship? Hmm ... let me think ... dating?" Steve replied.

"Dating. And after her baby is born?"

"I don't know, Danny. I don't want to think about tomorrow, I just want to live in the present. Susan could have killed me with that shot if she wasn't so bad at targeting. So I want to be happy today, and Catherine makes me happy, I don't care about tomorrow," Steve replied.

"What about the child?"

"As for the child, I just hope he likes me. I hope we can be good friends," Steve told Danny.

Catherine arrived at the office of the security company where she worked and found Sandy working at her desk. "What are you doing here, Sandy? Was there a problem in your office?"

"This is my office," Sandy replied.

"How so?" Catherine asked.

"Go talk to the boss, Catherine," Sandy replied and went back to doing what she was doing before Catherine entered the room.

Catherine went to the boss and found that he considered that she left the job.

"No, I couldn't come to bring my medical certificate, but someone did," Catherine replied to him.

"I didn't receive a medical certificate," he told Catherine.

Catherine immediately called Steve and asked who he had given her medical certificate to.

"For your friend, that blonde who has shoulder-length hair," Steve replied.

"Sandy ..." Catherine said as if she were thoughtful.

"Yes, I gave it to her," Steve replied.

"She's not my friend, Steve."

"I don't think she is either, Catherine. She flirted with me, so she can't be your friend."

"What? Making me lose my job is bad, but flirting with you I don't forgive," Catherine told Steve and hung up the phone. Steve was going to ask what she was going to do, but there was no time.

Catherine went to the company kitchen and returned to the office that Sandy had usurped.

"Do you want juice, Sandy?" Catherine asked gently. She held a jar of juice.

Sandy didn't understand why she was so friendly. She wondered if the boss had given up on taking Catherine out of the company. "I don't have a glass here," Sandy replied.

"Oh, you don't need a glass. Take this!" Catherine poured all the juice on Sandy.

"You crazy!" Sandy shouted at Catherine.

"You can steal my job, I don't care. But about Steve, he's mine!" Catherine said and slammed the office door.

The company employees looked at Catherine when she left the office and she stopped and looked at them too. "Sorry, guys, I think it's the pregnancy hormones."

Some time later, Steve called her and she said she was in the Kamekona trailer eating shrimp.

Steve looked at the team that was in the office with him. "Guys, can I go to lunch now?"

"It's 10 am, boss. It's early for lunch, but if you want to go, that's fine," Tani told him.

"Since when are you a spokesperson for the team?" Danny asked her.

"Go fly the kite, Danny," Tani replied.

Catherine was listening to their phone conversation and smiling. "Steve, tell Tani that she has my full support."

"So, I'm going to have lunch now. If there are any cases, please call me," Steve told the team.r

"Cath, don't get out of there," Steve told her on the phone.

"I won't be leaving, sailor. I'm right here, feeling incredible inner peace," Catherine replied.

Steve arrived at the trailer a few minutes later and had lunch with her.

Steve put his hand on her hand on the table. "Cath, I'm sorry, I didn't imagine she wanted to steal your position at office. If I had known that, I wouldn't have given her your medical certificate."

"It's okay, Steve. I was saddened by the betrayal, she doesn't just want my job, she wants you too, she wants everything that's mine," Catherine told him.

"Well, she won't have everything that is yours, she will never have me," Steve replied.

"Aww, sailor. You are mine, aren't you? I love you," Catherine told him and kissed him.

"I love you too, you know. In all my life I have only loved you, under any circumstances," he replied and hugged her fondly. "And don't worry about money, I'll help you with whatever you need."

"I don't worry about money, Steve. What my parents left me is enough for me to live the rest of my life in comfort and I still have my money that I collected in the years of the Navy and the agency. So I'm calm about this," Catherine said.

They finished lunch and Steve paid the bill. Catherine would go home and Steve would go back to work.

Catherine stood up and water ran down her legs. "Oh my God, Steve!"

"What, Cath?"

She looked down and Steve followed her gaze. "Is that what I'm thinking?" He asked.

"Yes. Kenny is coming."

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	19. Chapter 19

"Now?" Steve asked.

"Not exactly now, but today, and in the worst case, tomorrow. But I hope it is today, because if he is only born tomorrow it means that I will have suffered a lot," Catherine replied.

Steve was nervous. "What do we do now?"

"I'm going to call my doctor," Catherine said calmly.

Catherine called the doctor while Steve walked from side to side nervously.

"You need help?" Kamekona asked Steve.

"No. It's all under control," Steve replied.

"So why are you so nervous?" Kamemkona asked.

"It looks like he's the one who is going to give birth, isn't it, Kame?" Catherine told Kamekona.

"Yes," Kamekona answered.

"Steve, the doctor told me to go to the hospital right away, but I'm going to need you to come over to my house and get my bag and Kenny's bag, and also a folder that contains all of my exams. The folder is in my wardrobe."

"Okay. So let's go. I'm going to take you to the hospital in your car and I'm going to ask Junior to come and get my car," Steve replied to her.

"Ok," she replied.

Steve took her to the hospital and she was taken to a room. "Don't delay bringing the things I asked for," Catherine said as Steve was helping her put on the hospital gown.

"I will not be long."

Catherine sat down on the hospital's bed and Steve kissed her forehead and left quickly to go to her house. He got there and took the bags with the clothes and was about to leave without taking the exam folder.

"Oh, I was forgetting about the exams," he put the bags on the couch and went to her room. He opened the wardrobe and soon found the folder with exams she had asked him for. He pulled out the folder and some papers fell to the floor.

"It all happens when we're in a hurry," he thought.

He was gathering papers when the Fertilization Clinic logo caught his eye. He took the paper and saw that she had done the fertilization at the same clinic and on the same day as Susan. "What a coincidence. Maybe my son would be born today too if Susan hadn't suffered an abortion" Steve thought. He gathered the papers, put them away again, took the folder and bags and went to the hospital.

Steve left Catherine's house and got in the car. He called Junior, but Junior didn't answer him. He then called Danny. "Danny, I left my car next to the kamekona trailer. Please ask Junior to pick up my car and drive it home."

"Why? Where are you? And what are you doing without the car?" Danny asked when he realized Steve was agitated.

"I have Catherine's car. She's in the hospital, the baby is going to be born, and I'm nervous," Steve replied.

Danny felt sorry for him because he was nervous about a baby that wasn't even his. "Stay calm, Steve. Everything will be fine, I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, Danny. I'll talk to you later, buddy."

"Bye," Danny replied before ending the call.

Steve drove quickly to the hospital and she was standing with her hands on the bed when he arrived.

"I brought everything you asked for, Cath."

"Okay," she replied as her hands tightened on the bed's mattress.

"Are you in pain?" Steve asked.

"A lot," she replied.

"Can I do anything to make you feel better?" He asked.

"No. Just stay silent," she replied.

Steve felt helpless in the face of her pain and was silent so as not to make her nervous.

"Try to walk a little," the nurse said to Catherine as she entered the room.

"Okay," Catherine replied. Steve came over and offered her his arm.

Catherine took his arm and they went for a walk in the corridor.

"Sorry for fighting with you, for telling you to be silent," Catherine told him.

"You can fight with me as much as you want," Steve replied.

"Thanks for being here with me, Steve. I imagined myself alone at this point since I confirmed the pregnancy."

"I wouldn't leave you alone at this point," Steve replied and kissed her forehead.

Catherine stopped walking and looked him in the eye. "Do you want to be in the delivery room with me?"

"You want me to go?" he asked.

"Yes, I do, but only if you want to, please don't feel obligated to do so."

"It's okay, I'll go with you," Steve replied.

"Thank you. I love you, you know? I love you very much," Catherine said and kissed him.

The minutes passed and the pains increased.

Catherine stopped and put her hands on her stomach. "I can't take it anymore, Steve. I want to go back to the room."

Steve took her to the room and the doctor examined her. "It's time, take her to the delivery room," the doctor told the nurses.

Steve went to the delivery room with her after dressing properly and was beside her. It was several minutes until they heard Kenny cry.

"Oh, my God! My little boy! I dreamed so much about this moment," Catherine exclaimed and was exhausted.

When the nurse placed the baby on Catherine, she looked at Steve between smiles and tears. "He's here, Steve. My little boy is here."

Steve moved closer and touched Kenny's small hand, and Kenny gripped Steve's finger tightly.

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	20. Chapter 20

"Hi, Steve. Do you have news yet?" Danny asked. He didn't wait for Steve to call and called first.

"Hi, Danny. It's okay, Catherine and the baby are fine. I'm waiting for her to come to the room, and the baby is in the nursery. I watched the delivery and I'm a little nervous so far."

"Did you watch the delivery? Steve ... I know you. You're going to get attached to this boy. What if she leaves again? You're going to suffer."

"I don't want to think about it right now, Danny. I'm going to send you a picture of him." Steve sent a photo of Kenny to Danny and Danny thought the boy's face was familiar.

"But on second thought, every baby has a similar face when it's born," Danny told himself.

"He's cute, Steve. But this cute baby might make you cry in the future if she leaves the island. So try not to get too attached, please."

The nurse was bringing Catherine into the room and Steve got up to help her. "Okay, Danny. I'll talk to you later, they're bringing Catherine into the room."

Steve helped Catherine to lie on the bed and covered her with the sheet. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Exhausted and very happy," Catherine replied.

Steve was stroking her face. "Try to rest before they bring him."

"Okay. Are you going to stay here?" Catherine asked.

"Yes, I will sit here and wait for you to wake up." Steve sat and stood there waiting for her to sleep, but she didn't sleep.

"I think I'm very anxious. I didn't see him properly when the nurse put him on me," Catherine told him.

Steve showed her the picture of her with Kenny that he had taken in the delivery room.

"Aww, Steve! Thanks for taking this picture. I loved it."

"You're welcome, Cath."

Some time later the nurse took Kenny into the room and Catherine smiled when she picked him up and kissed him softly.

"Hey baby. I'm your mommy."

Kenny moved his little hand when he heard her voice.

"When should I breastfeed him?" Catherine asked the nurse.

"You can try it now. I'm going to show you how to do it properly so that he doesn't hurt you," the nurse said.

Catherine did as she taught her and the boy was ravenously hungry.

"Wow! He was born very hungry," Steve was filming them both.

Catherine smiled. "It is true."

Catherine was looking at Kenny as he was suckling and watched the details of his face. "Short eyebrows ..." she thought and looked at Steve. She looked at Kenny again and saw a resemblance between Steve's nose and the boy's nose. She was startled when Kenny opened his eyes and looked at her with his blue eyes.

"What is it, Cath?" Steve asked.

"It's nothing, Steve. He opened his eyes suddenly and I was a little scared."

"Why? Opening the eyes is normal," Steve replied.

"He has blue eyes, similar to yours," she said.

Steve just smiled. "This is good. When I go out with him, everyone will think that he is my son."

"Yeah, but this doesn't correspond to the physical characteristics that were described in the donor's file."

"But that doesn't mean much, Catherine. The donor didn't have blue eyes, but some of his ancestors may have," Steve replied.

"Yeah, I think you're right," Catherine said.

When Kenny finished feeding, Catherine gave him to Steve, and Steve put him to burp.

"Wow!" Steve said when Kenny burped.

Steve was walking around the room with Kenny on his lap. "Danny told me not to get attached, but how is that possible?" Steve thought as he looked at Kenny.

A few minutes later, Kenny fell asleep and Steve placed him in the crib next to Catherine's bed.

"Enjoy that he slept, and get some sleep too. I'll be here until you wake up," Steve told Catherine.

"Thanks for everything, Steve. If you weren't here, my son wouldn't even have a visit," Catherine said with a few tears in her eyes.

"Hey, I'm not just a visitor, am I?"

"Of course not. You and Kenny are the most important people in my life."

"You are also the most important person in my life," Steve said and kissed her lovingly. "Now get some sleep."

Steve sat there until she woke up. When she woke up, he went out for coffee right there at the hospital.

Catherine stood up and walked over to Kenny's crib and took off his pants. "Hey, my boy. Let's see if we already have a dirty diaper here." Catherine smiled. "Yes, we do," she said after checking.

She lifted his little legs to clean him and saw a birthmark exactly the same as the one Steve had and in exactly the same place. "What's that? That's not possible! I think I'm going crazy."


	21. Chapter 21

Steve went back to the bedroom and found Catherine looking at Kenny with a diaper in hand, and she seemed intrigued by something.

"Cath, is something wrong with him?" Steve asked her.

"Steve, I ...," she started to speak but was interrupted by a few knock on the door.

The door opened and Junior asked if he could enter.

"Of course, Junior. You don't even have to ask, buddy," Steve replied.

Junior came in carrying colorful balloons and a bouquet of flowers for Catherine.

Catherine was happy with Junior's visit. "Oh, Junior! How beautiful!"

Junior handed Steve the balloons and the bouquet of flowers to her. Junior hugged her and congratulated her on Kenny. "Tani told me that I shouldn't come today, that I would be inconvenient because you needed to rest, but I wanted to come anyway."

"Oh, no! I loved your visit," Catherine replied.

Steve tied the balloons to Kenny's crib and the boy was looking at the balloons.

"You liked that, right?" Steve told Kenny and smiled.

"Catherine, he's naked, did you forget to put the diaper on him?" Steve told her.

Catherine then realized that the diaper was still in her hand. "Oh, my God, it's true." She put the diaper on the baby and put the clothes on him again. "Now you're ready to meet Uncle Junior."

Junior approached the crib to meet Kenny. "Hi, boy! Welcome!"

Junior noticed Kenny's resemblance to Steve, but said only that Kenny was a beautiful baby.

"Thank you, Junior. Do you want to pick him up?" Catherine asked.

"No, I'm afraid. I'll wait for him to grow up a little more," Junior replied.

"Okay. He loved the balloons," Catherine told Junior.

"I'm glad he liked it," Junior said.

Some time later Junior left and Catherine was thinking about how to talk to Steve about her thoughts, but at the same time she thought Steve would think she was crazy.

Steve was talking to Kenny and deep down he wished Kenny was his son. Catherine was watching that and was thrilled by Steve's affection for Kenny.

Steve picked him up and was feeling like a passionate father. Kenny was also feeling good on Steve's lap and soon fell asleep. Steve didn't get tired of looking at him.

"Hello," Danny said as he entered the room.

"Hey, Danny!" Catherine greeted him and Danny hugged her. "Congratulations on baby."

"Thank you, Danny."

"What's up, Steve?" Danny said.

"Hi, Danny. I'm going to put him in the crib so you can see him better," Steve replied.

"Steve, I'm going to take a shower while you're here," Catherine told him and then looked at Danny. "Do you mind, Danny?"

"Of course not, Catherine. Feel free."

"Thanks. I'll be right back."

Steve carefully placed Kenny in the crib, but Kenny woke up.

Danny came over and looked closely at Kenny while Catherine went to the bathroom.

"Why did you lie to me and the team, Steve?"

Steve didn't understand Danny's question. "What are you talking about, Danny?"

"The boy is your son with Catherine, meaning you were cheating on Susan while you were still with her," Danny said in a low voice so Catherine wouldn't overhear.

"No, Danny. Where did you get that thought from?"

"Look at that boy, Steve. He's your miniature."

"What? Me and Catherine haven't had nothing for years, even now that we are together again we did nothing because the doctor had banned this until the baby was born. There is no way Kenny is my son, that's impossible ..." The papers from the fertilization clinic he had found in Catherine's wardrobe came to his mind. "Or no?" he said as if thinking.

"What?" Danny asked.

"Nothing, Danny. This is not the time to talk about this," Steve replied.

Danny looked at Kenny again. "I still think you're lying to me."

"I'm not lying, Danny."

"Bye, I'm leaving. Congratulations on the baby," Danny said to Steve.

"Wait for Catherine to get out of the shower, Danny," Steve asked.

"Tell her I said goodbye," Danny left and Steve stood there not knowing what to think. He took Kenny's small hand gently. "I would love it to be true, Kenny. But it's too good to be true, nothing in my life comes that easy."

Catherine decided to talk to him about her doubts, but was interrupted again, this time by the nurse who had gone to check her blood pressure.

"How are you feeling?" The nurse asked.

"I'm fine, but I'm really hungry," Catherine told her.

"Your dinner should be here shortly. Your little boy is glutton, right? That explains your hunger."

Catherine smiled. "Yes, he is," Catherine replied the nurse while looking at Steve and Kenny.

After the nurse left, Catherine's dinner arrived and she ate right away. "I was very hungry, and I think I still am. The food didn't satisfy me," she told Steve.

"Do you want me to go out and buy you something to eat?" He asked.

"No. I want you to go home and rest," she replied.

"I'm going to stay here with you and Kenny. I'm not leaving," he said and kissed her forehead.

Catherine stroked his face. "Then go get something to eat."

"I'll go and be right back."

"When you get back, can we talk?" she asked.

"Of course," Steve kissed her and left.

Kenny was grumbling and Catherine already knew he was hungry again. She went to the crib and picked him up. "Hey my boy, come here."

Steve went to a cafeteria near the hospital and was watching the parents who were there with their children. He thought he was deluding himself into thinking that Kenny would be his biological son, but one thing he was sure of: Kenny already had a very special place in his heart.


	22. Chapter 22

"We can talk now," Steve said to Catherine when he returned to her room.

"Sit here," she asked.

Steve sat down next to her. "What? You're so serious, you're scaring me. Did I do something wrong?" He asked.

"Steve, I know this is going to sound like a stupid question, but have you ever donated to a fertility clinic?"

"Yes, I did, I did for Susan. In fact, you two did the insemination in the same place and on the same day. I saw the papers in your wardrobe, but I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

"Oh, my God!" Catherine exclaimed.

"What, Cath?"

"Steve, look at Kenny. He looks too much like you." Catherine stood up and went to Kenny's crib and showed Steve the birthmark. "Look at this here."

Steve approached and saw Kenny's birthmark. "Wow, Cath. It's identical to mine."

"Something happened at that clinic, Steve. We need to run a DNA test on him. I think you might be his father." Catherine said and looked at Steve with expectansy. "Do you think I'm imagining things?"

"I don't know, Cath. Danny told me the same thing, he even thought I was hiding Kenny's paternity. I don't know what to think. In fact, I don't even think I can think. That would be... wonderful... I'm speechless."

"I'll ask the doctor to request the test and ask if they can do it here at the hospital."

"That's fine with me," Steve answered. He was half anaesthetised with the real possibility of being the baby's father.

"You seem upset," she said as she realized he was having confused thoughts.

"Oh no, Cath! I'll be the happiest man in the world if I'm Kenny's father. I just don't want to delude myself and suffer afterwards."

Catherine held Steve's hand. "You'll be his father anyway, biological or otherwise. And I know Kenny will love and respect you whether you two have the same blood or not."

The next day, Catherine talked to the doctor and told her about the suspicions she and Steve had.

"You know you can sue the clinic if that mistake has occurred, right?" She told them.

"If that has happened, it will be a blessing to us and not a mistake," Steve replied.

"Okay. I'll make the request and a nurse will come and collect the baby's blood and yours," the doctor said to Steve.

Catherine thanked the doctor and waited for the nurse to come and collect Kenny's blood.

A few minutes later, Steve's blood was collected first and then Kenny's blood. Kenny cried a lot and Steve held him in his lap to calm him down. "Calm down, buddy. It's for a good cause." Kenny kept crying like he was complaining to Steve, and he kissed Kenny's head. "I know it hurt, buddy."

That day, Kenny received a visit from the rest of the team, and the next morning, he and Catherine were discharged from the hospital without a DNA test result.

"Why does this test take so long to get a result?" Steve complained.

"Easy, Steve. Everything has its time," replied Catherine.

"You're right. Let's just enjoy this little boy's arrival at home and avoid thinking about this DNA test until the results come out." Steve picked Kenny up and was cradling the baby.

Catherine prepared everything for Kenny's first bath and she was a little nervous. "I've never bathed a baby before.

Steve kissed her forehead. "I know you'll do great."

"Thank you, sailor."

"Cath, give me your documents, I'm going out to get Kenny's birth certificate."

"But aren't you going to wait for the test result?" Catherine asked.

"No. We're together, aren't we? And we're going to stay together. Like you said, I'm going to be his father anyway, so I want to do that now."

Catherine handed the documents to Steve and he went out to get the Kenny's birth certificate.

After having Kenny's birth certificate in hand, Steve received a call from the hospital to let him know that the test was ready.

"Thank you so much for letting me know. I'm on my way."

Steve went to the hospital and got the test result. He thought about opening it with Catherine. He placed the envelope that contained the test result on the passenger seat and left.

He looked at the envelope every two minutes as he drove. "Catherine's maternity is guaranteed, the doubt is my fatherhood. So I think I can open this envelope on my own."

Steve stopped the car at the lookout on the road, took the envelope and sat down. He was looking at the sea with the envelope in his hands and was reluctant to open it. He looked at the envelope and then looked at the sky. "Are you giving me another chance? People always say that God writes right on crooked lines, and if Kenny is my baby, I'm going to believe that. I've already lost so many people, and I wonder if you sent me Kenny to fill that void. The answer is here in that envelope, but in the face of the peace that I feel right now, I feel that you have already placed the answer in my heart."

Steve came home thrilled. Catherine opened the door and Steve went straight into the bedroom and took Kenny out of the crib.

"Steve, I was changing his diaper," Catherine said.

Steve kissed Kenny's head and closed his eyes, letting the tears fall.

"What happened, Steve?"

Steve handed her the envelope. "He's mine, Cath. He is mine. He's my son! The greatest blessing of my life."

Catherine opened the envelope and read the test result. "Oh, Steve! I don't know how it happened, but I am immensely happy. My son couldn't have a better father than you."

"Come here," Steve called to her. She came over and hugged him and the baby. "We are a family, my love."

"My perfect family! You two are my life. And Kenny represents everything to me: Renewal, hope, happiness, love and peace," Steve told her.

Catherine stroked Kenny's few hairs. "He's our treasure, our most precious asset, Steve."

"Yes, he is. And you are my rare jewel. I love you, Cath. I love you very much."

"I love you too, sailor."

Steve pulled her closer, and kissed her passionately. While they was kissing, Steve felt a hot liquid wet his belly. Steve interrupted the kiss and smiled at her. "I think Kenny just peed Daddy!"


	23. Chapter 23

Catherine smiled and looked at Steve's shirt. "Did you pee on Daddy, my love?" She told Kenny.

"Put him here in the crib so I can put the diaper on him, Steve."

"I don't want to let him go, Cath."

"Well, if you don't let me put the diaper on him, you'll be sorry in a minute. I'm warning you..."

"He'll do something else, won't he?" Steve told her.

"Yes, he will, for sure," she answered.

"Then I'll put him in the crib, and while I change my shirt you put the diaper on him."

"Wise decision," Catherine answered.

Steve changed his shirt and went back to his crib. He picked up Kenny again after Catherine put the diaper on the boy.

"Cath, his birth certificate's in the other envelope. Keep his first document."

Catherine opened the envelope and read the birth certificate. "I was wondering if you'd changed his name."

"I arranged for his certificate before the examination result. Perhaps I would have added a John to his name if I'd done it later."

"We can do that, but wouldn't Kenny John sound strange?" She said.

"On second thought, let's not do that. It's good the way it is: Kenny Rollins McGarrett. My grandfather was John and he died early, my father was John, and I don't have to tell you what his life was like because you know, and I'm John, and you know everything that's happened in my life. I don't want that for my son. Without John in his name, okay?"

"Okay. I agree with you," she said.

Steve kissed Kenny on the head. "Let's break this chain of suffering in McGarrett's life. Right, son? You'll be very happy."

Steve dropped a few tears and Catherine wiped them. "Hey, today and a happy day, let's not think about sad things."

Steve kissed her lightly. "You're right, love of my life."

"God was so generous to us, so today we just have to thank him. Let's not think about the past because it can't be changed anymore," Catherine told him.

"You're right again. You always are. Thank you for always bringing me to the reason."

"You're welcome, honey. I'm gonna put his clothes in the laundry while you're with him," Catherine told Steve.

"No! You're not doing anything. I'm here to take care of you. You just gave birth and you just need to take care of our son. I'm here to wash, iron and cook. And to clean the house, too. Lucky for me your apartment is small."

At night, after Kenny slept, they nested on the couch to watch a movie together.

Steve intertwined his fingers on her fingers and kissed her neck. "We have a son..." he said like he was thinking out loud.

"Yes, we do," Catherine answered.

They stood there and tried to watch the movie, but the tiredness didn't allow it. They slept until the time Kenny woke up hungry.

The next day, Steve went to headquarters quickly. He just wanted to tell the team the news.

"Wow! That sounds like a soap opera, boss," Tani said to Steve.

"You're a lucky guy, man. Do you know what the odds are of that happening? I don't think so," Lou said.

"Have you ever stopped to think you might have several kids scattered around the island right now?" Danny said.

"Stop it, Danny. You like to put thoughts into his head," Junior complained.

"I only donated a single sample, Danny,in a very small tube and not in a bucket," Steve replied.

"So how do you think that happened?" Danny asked.

"I think there must have been an exchange. And to be honest, I don't care how it happened. All I care about is that Kenny's my son and I'm very happy that this mistake happened."

"All right, if you think so, who am I to disagree? I know I'd want to know what happened," Danny replied.

"But I'm me, and you're you, and we're fine with it. I'm really glad I'm the father of that cute little boy," Steve answered.

"Well, that deserves a celebration," Lou said.

"We can go out later, at the end of the day. I only can't leave Catherine alone for long, she needs my help with Kenny," Steve said.

"All right," Lou answered.

"It's a deal then. See you guys later," Steve said and got up to leave.

Steve left headquarters and went to the fertilization clinic. He told Danny he didn't care how it all happened, but kept thinking about Danny saying he could have other kids on the island.

He went to the clinic's administrator, introduced himself as the head of the task force, and she called him in to talk in the office.

"I'll be honest with you. I was afraid that day would come. There really was an exchange of genetic material on the day of fertilization. The employee came to me saying that there might have been an exchange at the time she was separating the fertilization material to two of our patients. Since it was a doubt, I didn't fire her. I'll call her here."

The employee was called and a frightened young woman entered the office. "Please tell how everything happened to Mr. McGarrett," the administrator said, and the girl talked to Steve.

He then understood that the baby Susan had lost wasn't his, and a whim of fate had given him Kenny. He was also relieved to know that he wouldn't have other children scattered around the island.

"Okay. That's all I needed to know."

"Are you going to sue me?" The girl asked almost in tears.

Steve felt sorry for her. "No, I'm not going to sue you, and I'm not going to sue the clinic, either. But don't let that happen again. Other people certainly won't forgive you."

"That's the only time it happened," the girl answered.

"Great," Steve answered and left.

Steve went to Catherine's house and told her how the exchange had happened. "Poor girl. I wouldn't have the guts to sue her either. Besides, I'm glad Kenny's ours. It's a lot more than I dreamed of," Catherine told him.

Steve kissed her. "I agree. It's a lot more than I dreamed of, too."

Steve looked at Kenny sleeping in his crib, and then he looked at her again. "His nose is like yours, and that's good."

Catherine smiled. "At least that, right? He had to look like me in something."

Cath, I'm going to go get dinner ready, and then I'm going to go out and find the team. I told them about Kenny being my son, and they want to celebrate."

"No problem, Steve. You're not my prisoner."

Later, he was dressed to go out, kissed Kenny's forehead on Catherine's lap, and then he kissed her. "Bye."

"Don't be long!" She said.

Steve opened the door and smiled. "We're not even married yet, and you want to boss me? Imagine after the wedding.

He left and Catherine was processing his words. "Wedding? He said wedding?"


	24. Chapter 24

A few hours later, Catherine was breastfeeding Kenny at a unique moment between mother and child. Kenny was staring at her as he felt protected in her arms, as her scent calmed him down.

"I love you, son," Catherine said to him and gave his forehead a soft kiss. "You're my dream come true."

She was thinking about what their life would be like from then on. She didn't know if she and Steve were going to live together, or if they would continue each in their own home. "Me and your daddy need to talk," she said to Kenny.

Kenny started crying because the milk was gone.

"Hey, easy, I'm just going to move you to the other breast, son." He calmed down after he sucked again.

Steve opened the door and walked into the apartment afraid she'd fight him for taking too long to get back. "What happened? I heard him crying down the hall."

"There was nothing, he's just a gluttonous little boy who can't wait," Catherine answered Steve. "Right, son?" She smiled at Kenny.

Steve kissed Kenny's cheek and the boy complained.

"What is it, son? Can't Daddy have a kiss? Are you mad because I'm interrupting your dinner?" Steve told the boy.

"He didn't like your beer puff,steve. The smell is too strong," Catherine told him.

"I'll eat something and brush my teeth, that should lessen the smell," Steve told her.

"Do that," she replied.

A few days later Steve went back to work and Danny and Junior called him in to talk.

"Steve, my home renovation's over and I'm coming home. I really appreciate the time I spent at your house, but it's about time you got your house back. There's no sense in you living apart from your family," Danny told Steve.

"Catherine doesn't complain, Danny. And I'm not living apart from her and Kenny," Steve answered.

"You're not because you practically live there now. But it's not fair that she's paying rent on the apartment if you have a house. And like I told you once, I was looking at some apartments and you said you wanted to help me choose. I picked a few to visit today after hours. Will you still want to go with me?" Junior told Steve

"Sure, Junior. I'll come with you. I'll just let Catherine know," Steve picked up the phone and left the office to call her.

"You see, Junior? That's what marriage does to us. You have to give them satisfaction with every step you take. And he's not even married yet, huh?"

"That's respect, Danny. She'll be worried about him if he takes too long to arrive and doesn't warn her," Junior replied.

"Hmm! I realize Tani's going to boss you around too," Danny told Junior.

"Well, I think you have a crazy urge to get someone to boss you around too," Junior replied.

Two months later...

Catherine was changing Kenny's diaper and was talking to him when he gave her a big smile and she was very happy.

"Son, did you smile at me?"

She picked up the phone and started filming Kenny. She played with him hoping he'd smile again, but he didn't.

"I need to tell Daddy you smiled for the first time."

Steve was at the supermarket when she called. "Steve, Kenny gave the first smile, I tried to get him to smile again for me to film and send it to you, but he didn't smile again. I'm so happy!"

Steve smiled. "And does he have a beautiful smile?"

"Wonderful!" She answered.

"Well, now that he's smiled the first time, he'll smile again. I'll pay for the groceries and then go to Danny's house to deliver the wedding invitation."

"Why didn't you give him the invitation at headquarters like you did the others?" Catherine asked.

"Danny asked for two weeks vacation, he wasn't there."

"All right, but don't take too long," she asked.

"I won't be long, I promise."

Steve had a cart full of diapers for Kenny and other items for home and Catherine. A woman approached and looked at his cart.

"It's really nice to have a baby at home, isn't it?" She said to Steve.

Steve smiled. "Yes, it's very nice."

"How many months is the baby?"

"Two months," Steve answered.

"Some women stop paying attention to their husband after the baby's born, do you have that problem?"

"Am I not free of this even at the supermarket?" Steve thought. "No, I don't have that problem with my wife. She's exactly the same as always." He was relieved it was his turn to pay for the groceries.

Steve left the supermarket and went to Danny's house. He rang the bell and was speechless when the door opened.

"Danny, visit for you!" Susan screamed. She had wet hair and was wearing a robe, just like Danny.

"Steve?" Danny ran out of action when he saw Steve at the door.

"Hi, Danny. I didn't know you were busy. I just came by to bring my wedding invitation." Steve put the invitation on the table next to the door and left. He got in the car and put both hands on the steering wheel while he thought.

"Danny with Susan? Danny's gone crazy!"

Steve came home, took the groceries out of the car and took them in. He saw Catherine sitting on the beach chair with Kenny. He approached her and kissed her head. "Hey!"

"Hey! Kenny loves the sound of the sea and the singing of the birds. I can tell he's always calm when we're here," Catherine told him.

Steve stroked Kenny's head and sat down in the next chair.

"Cath, I found something that stunned me."

"And what is it?" She asked.

"Danny's sleeping with Susan."

"Susan? But wasn't she in a clinic for psychiatric treatment?" Catherine asked.

"Yes, she was. It was part of the deal not to get arrested for shooting me."

Catherine realized he was upset and agitated. "You're not jealous of her, are you?"

"No, Cath! By God, no! I love you!" He spoke loudly and Kenny got scared.

"Oh, son, forgive me," Steve said to Kenny and picked him up.

Catherine was stunned by the news. "What if Danny tells her about the switch and she wants to take Kenny away from me?"

"Kenny's ours, Cath. There's no way that's gonna happen. Just relax. I'm not jealous of her, I'm just worried about Danny. How can he date Susan after she's made my life hell?"

"Danny's an adult, Steve."

"Yes, he's an adult. But today it seems to me that he has a younger mental age than Kenny."

Kenny smiled at Steve when Steve pronounced his name.

"Look at that, Cath!"

"Smiling at Daddy, love?" Catherine said to Kenny.

"What a beautiful smile, son."


	25. Chapter 25

.

Five days later, Danny went back to work and Steve called him into his office.

"I already know what you're going to say. But it's my life and I'll make it whatever I want," Danny said to Steve before Steve even opened his mouth.

"I care about you, Danny. What are you thinking? How can you be with Susan after everything she's done to me?"

"Susan and I talked a lot when you left her for Catherine. And believe it or not, she and I have a lot in common," Danny answered.

"I didn't trade her for Catherine. My current relationship with Catherine started after Susan and I broke up," Steve replied.

"That's what you say," Danny told him.

"You'd rather believe Susan then? Susan is crazy!"

"You've made Susan crazy! It's your fixation on a woman who abandoned you twice that's done Susan sick. You two were doing just fine until Catherine showed up," Danny told Steve.

"Is it Catherine's fault? It's always Catherine's fault to you. You can't live with the fact that I forgave her. You say you forgave Rachel, but that's a lie! You still love her, but your pride keeps you from trying a new life with her."

Junior, Tani and Lou looked at each other while they listened to the discussion. "Don't go there," Lou told them.

"You don't really forgive Rachel, and that grudge of yours leads you to do crazy things like have sex in a barroom with a unknown woman and get involved with Susan. I've forgiven the woman of my life and I'm very happy with her. You're only welcome in my marriage if you don't take Susan," Steve stressed, left the office and went home.

Catherine was puting Kenny to sleepy when Steve got home.

"Hey. I didn't know you were coming home for lunch. I haven't prepared anything yet, Steve."

Steve sat on the couch and sighed. "It's okay, Cath. I'm not hungry."

Catherine realized he was upset and wanted to know what had happened. Steve told her about the fight with Danny.

"You're friends, Steve. You shouldn't be fighting," Catherine told him.

"I know, Catherine. Danny calls me an animal, but he's the donkey."

"Go with Daddy, son," Catherine put Kenny on Steve's lap and sat down next to him.

"Steve, Danny's an adult. You can advise him, but never decide for him. If people decided for you, especially Danny, we wouldn't be together today. Isn't true?" She told him gently.

"It's true," Steve answered.

"So you've already given your opinion, it's not your problem if he doesn't want to hear it. You can't get into a fight with each other."

"I told him he's not welcome at our wedding if he takes Susan. I'm afraid she'll do something against you or our son," Steve told her.

"Fine, I agree with you. We can't leave her near Kenny. But apologize to your best friend, okay?" Catherine kissed him and went to the kitchen to make something for lunch.

After lunch, Steve went back to work and went to Danny's office to apologize.

"Let's put it this way: I don't get involved in your relationship with Catherine, and you don't get involved in my relationship with Susan," Danny replied.

"Okay, Danny. Be happy. I love you, buddy," Steve said and left Danny's office.

"I love you, too," Danny grumbled as Steve left.

A month later, Steve and Catherine were married in the presence of their most distinguished guest, that was Kenny.

Catherine changed her mind and allowed Danny to take Susan to the wedding. She chose Mary to stay with Kenny during the wedding and no one dared to take Kenny off her lap. Joan took the wedding rings and the ceremony and the party went on without a hitch.

After the party they went to Maui for a few days because Steve would need to get back to work soon.

Steve woke up and Catherine was on the balcony of the hotel room looking at the sea. Steve hugged her from behind and passed his arm around her waist. "Good morning, Mrs. McGarrett."

"Hmm... Good morning! Isn't the day beautiful?" She asked.

"Yes, the day is beautiful."

Kenny grumbled in his crib to get his parents' attention.

Steve went to the crib and picked him up. "Hey, champ!"

Steve took him to the balcony and Catherine picked him up. "Good morning, my love."

"I must say, our boy is cooperating with our honeymoon. He slept almost all night," Steve told her.

"He's wonderful, isn't he?" Catherine told Steve.

"Yes, so are you." Steve kissed her under the bright rays of sun.

The end.

Well, we've reached the end of the story. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading, thanks for the reviews. Steve, Catherine and Kenny will be back in a special chapter at Christmas. Until then!


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